


The Demon of Time

by karisu



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Blood, Depravity, F/M, Gore, Multi, Other, Slavery, Violent Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:28:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25356247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karisu/pseuds/karisu
Summary: I started off this fic thinking I was writing for Diavolo but it evolved into Barbatos' story. This is likely to be long and epic as there is a lot of backstory to fill since nothing much is mention in the game. I'm gonna take a LOT of liberty with this.
Relationships: Barbatos (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Barbatos/Diavolo (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 29





	1. Lost Time

No one knew who his mother was, and no one cared but he remembered. She was no common hussy or low-born pleasure demon but the last daughter of the fallen noble house of Aevum. The House of Aevum was not as huge or as powerful as most of the major houses, but they had long been feared and revered for their ability to see into the past and future. Once there was always a member of this house standing as a close advisor to the Royal Family, they were allowed to peer into the potential futures and advise the best course to the reigning sovereign and their loyalty to the crown had forbidden the casual use of that power.

However, the other noble houses out of jealousy and in their bid to amass more power, feared the undue influence of the Aevum and the inevitable happened, a seed of doubt was planted and nourished with poisonous words, further driving the stake of suspicion deeper into the heart of a distrustful king. Their sole purpose was to create outcomes desired by the king but as reality turned into fruition, the king’s sceptical nature had started to question was the outcomes what he really wanted or premediated. The House of Aevum started to fall into obscurity as they fell out of favour and the other houses took the opportunity to try to sway them into their own power struggles but in their bid to stay neutral and loyal to a king that has forgotten them, the Aevum inevitably courted their very own destruction. 

_Treason…_

A meticulous plan engineered by the five high demon houses, it started with a little rumour that spread across the whole of Devildom until it reached the ears of the king. Throughout ages, it was the game of kings to pit one noble house against another in an intriguing balance to countercheck the power and influence of a single house while consolidating the king’s own power. Power, a single cruel word, craved by many, held by a few, the cradle of wars, countless were the noble houses had risen and fall in their bid for power, even the royal house was not spared its share of treachery, betrayals and sedition. Even a legitimate ruler by birth right could be usurped under the right conditions and the current king was no stranger to that, having taken the throne from his own brother. 

So, a rumour about a future king was of course perturbing.

More so when it was said that source of the rumours came from none other than the House of Aevum, they who can see into the future and choose the most viable outcome to create a new king. Of course, this would not be allowed to happen. The king’s army had surrounded the remote small estate that the once mighty clan of demon seers were left with. Long secluded and out of touch on the court politics, they were reduced to wearing chains in front of their king. Whilst they could read the past and future of others, they unfortunately could not read their own fate. It was also then; the king first saw the young Lady Aevum and desired her for her beauty.

It had been child’s play to coerce the innocent young woman to offer herself to him in exchange for her family’s lives. She was sheltered, naïve and utterly seduced by the handsome and charismatic king, unaware that he was also using her as pawn to force her father the current Aevum Head to look into all the potential futures of his reign so that he could eradicate any possible threats before they occur. Unknown to them all, the monarch had the Aevum clan massacred so that no other demon lord would have access to the power of seers.

The time seers of Aevum were rare, the ability to peer into time was not something that simply inherited through blood. Some were only able to discern the past while some were born blind to the passage of time. Each born into the Aevum House, would undertake their Awakening at the age of five hundred years. The Awakening was simply the first step for a time seer to access their powers. An elder would guide the young into the passages of time however what they would discern would be up to their own destiny. However, it was a secret that the fate of House Aevum was tied to the Royal House because only a king or queen could initiate the full potential of a time seer and in return have their utmost loyalty through a Blood Oath.

The current king held the oath, but his own distrustful nature rendered it void when he shed Aevum blood. The king had laughed in maniacal glee as his guard used a glowing red piece of coal to sear and burn the Aevum elder’s eyes. He would however be kept alive, chained up in the catacombs as a living reminder that no one else now had the power to see time as the only other living Aevum was not yet Awaken. She was his plaything, an amusing doll for him to toy with until he corrupted her innocence. It was not long before he tired of her, the foolish twit of a girl who fancied herself in love with the king, dreaming that she would one day become one of his consorts. It had been wholly entertaining to hear her screams of despair when he threw her to his guards to have their way with her before she was sold off as a pleasure slave. 

Unknown to him, she was already with child then.

The boy looked nothing like his father, whom his crazy mother claimed was the demon king. He had her dark hair of forest green and emerald eyes, looking more and more like her as he grew day by day. It was an ongoing joke in the pleasure slums to guess his true parentage since so many had taken his mother after she was sold there. No one believed her when she claimed to be the daughter of a noble house, they pitied her thinking she was mad and delusional. She had fought and tried to escape when she was first brought into the pleasure slums but every time the lackeys of the pleasure slum masters caught her; they broke her spirit bit by bit. They kept her drugged so that she would be docile but with time, that destroyed her mind. Her lucid moments were far in between, but she managed to keep a secret record of her memories using whatever scraps she could find, writing down her legacy in the moments when her mind was whole. This was the only thing she could do for her son so that one day he might claim his birth right.

But as the boy grew older, her masters started to have ideas as he inherited the beauty of his mother. It was an unspoken rule that a child of a slave would be born a slave thus to the masters, her pregnancy then had been a bargain. There were many powerful noble demons who would pay a high price for a male pleasure slave especially one yet untouched. A young boy could all the better be trained to please whatever preserve desires his master might have. At three hundred years old, that was the perfect age to auction the boy off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He would never forget the chains and the humiliation, there was a collar around his neck, his body stripped naked and strung up on display. There was no dignity, he was not a person, but a slave born, what use was pride for slaves. He remembered those leering, ravenous eyes that seemed to devour every inch of his exposed skin. He flinched as a chain was yanked, spreading his legs wide for his prospective buyers to check out the size of his sex and exposed buttocks. Lewd laughter rang out as the slave traders announced the starting bid price for his virginity. He closed his eyes in shame, as rough hands fondled his body, testing his sensitivity. He tried to resist it but restrained as he was, there was nothing he could do as his body start to react and his sex start to harden.

Growing up in the pleasure slums, he was no innocent to what kind of perverse pleasure was available as long as one had enough Grimm to pay for it. Male, female, old, young, demons, beasts and even humans were available as long as there was a demand, it would be supplied. These were the rules of the pleasure slums where everything can be provided at the right price. Before him was a sea of faces but everyone was wearing the featureless white masks with slits for eyes. This was the usual practise for an auction. The slums served everyone from the noble lords most high to the lowest demons, it was all about how much coin one had but of course their best paying patrons have the additional protection of anonymity. He heard it as the bids came in fast and furious, his price in Grimm increasing with every call. It was an irony that now he was worth more than his weight in coins. Someone will become his new master tonight and it was likely that he would leave the pleasure slums but what would become of his mad mother?

“Two hundred thousand Grimm!” 

“Two hundred and fifty thousand!”

“That boy is mine! Three hundred thousand Grimm!” 

“Five hundred thousand.”

That was the first time he heard that calm but commanding voice cutting through the rabble of lewd hollering. He lifted his head and saw the crowd parted to let a tall man pass through. The man’s features were obscured by the white mask he wore but he had hair the colour of dark sienna, and the cut of his clothes were rich. What was most arresting about this man however was his eyes the colour of a light warm gold. It surprised him most was that he saw no lasciviousness in those eyes but a faint concern. The boy could not tell, but he radiated a strange kind of natural authority that made the rest cower and cringe. Behind him followed an older man also neatly dressed but he referred to the younger man in a deferential manner. The man strolled up to the platform where the boy was displayed, one gloved hand reached out to lift the head hanging in shame. The boy had beautiful eyes, a clear and radiant green the colour of precious emeralds. He remembered someone else who had eyes of that same colour. There was fear in those lovely eyes but there was also defiance. The boy was not yet broken. 

“Unchain him.” The man spoke quietly but the command was evident. 

The lackeys moved to obey, releasing the chain that held the boy’s legs so wantonly exposed. Feeling the chains start to slack, the boy pressed his legs together tightly, trying to hide his arousal as his face burned red in shame. Noticing the boy’s reaction, the man with the golden eyes, unclasped his cloak and cast it over the lad’s thin shoulders. The older man stepped forward to protest, but he raised his hand and the older man stopped with his head down in deference 

“Heh… not so fast, surely there’s someone else out there who will be willing to pay more. Come now, this is prime virgin meat… It’s not every day you get to see such, and he is not yet trained so he can be truly moulded to your own personal desires. Come now, do I hear a higher price?” The head slave trader was not going to make it easy even though the price of five hundred thousand Grimm was already an unimaginable sum for a pleasure slum slave.

There was a murmur of voices as some weighed the options and the temptation. One grossly fat demon with a stomach so bloated that it barely could keep a humanoid shape, raised one misshapen appendage but before it could vocalize a bid, the auburn-hair man turned to regard the horde underneath the slave auction platform. As his glaze passed, the clatter fell silent in feared awe. There was a force of presence that subdued all the demons and fiends present into total silence. This time when the golden eyes turn back to rest once more on the slave trader, the lower demon wisely keep his mouth shut and dare not bargain anymore. Those were the eyes of a primal wolf, noble but merciless if crossed. The slave trader started to sweat as he was pinned by the force of that regard.

“You were saying?” The tone was cordial, but the implied threat was very real.

“Nothing, Sir…nothing! Sold for five hundred thousand Grimm! Once we have the coins, you may take the slave…” The slave trader swallowed his words when he saw the midnight stone the size of a quail egg in the older man’s hand.

“This is worth more than five hundred thousand Grimm, we will take the boy’s mother as well. Bring her here now. As for the rest of you, the auction is over. Leave.”

There were some displeased rumblings from the crowd who were disgruntled that their anticipation of obtaining a prime slave had been dashed but they were smart enough to recognize the authority when they see it. It was well known secret in the pleasure slums that even the nobility would visit to indulge in the perverse, deprived pleasures not commonly available in the pleasure houses or brothels in the more respectable areas of Devildom. The prospective buyers dispersed into the slums to seek their own alternatives. 

“Why take a crazy bitch? Heh, if it’s a pretty face you want, we have plenty you can choose from. Virgins too... since that’s what your lord seems to prefer. Heh…”

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

The slave trade snorted and gestured for his men to compile. The boy stumbled as he was unshackled from the chains that bounded his limbs, he would have fallen to his knees if his new master did not catch him. Those golden eyes narrowed in anger as they took in the iron collar around his neck. The mark of slavery was an abhorrence to him but the boy, sensing the blanketed fury, cringed in fear. Slaves were made to wear collars to mark them as possessions without free will, be it plain leather or bejewelled with precious stones even if a master was generous enough not to make a slave wear a collar, the invisible seal that was magically seared on their skin would remain. The heavy enchantment tied to that seal would render tremendous pain to a slave who tried to escape. A master could also trigger the magic in the seal so that even if the slave can endure the pain, the slave mark will glow like a brand that was impossible to hide.

They fetched the boy’s mother, but she was a naked, incoherent mess. She fell like a limp broken doll on the platform, her eyes were wide but staring blankly and her face and body was splattered with the seminal fluid of the customers she had been made to serve. The boy wanted to rush forward but a strong firm hand gasped his shoulder, holding him back. His new master gestured and the older man handed over the midnight stone to his master before he removed his own cloak to provide some decency to the naked woman sprawled at their feet. She was still alive, her breaths shallow but steady. The older man was careful as he wrapped the fine cloak about her before hoisting her up into his arms. The younger man tossed the midnight stone almost negligently, noting the avaricious eyes that followed the dark jewel’s passage in the air before his gloved hand caught it. 

“Before we leave, is there anything you need to retrieve? It is doubtful we will ever return to this place.” He had a pleasant low deep voice and he spoke softly so that only the boy could hear.

“My…my mother would want the scraps that she collects. They help to … to calm her down.” The lad stuttered a little in nervousness. 

“I will wait here for you with your mother. Go get it.” 

The slave trader signalled for one of his lackeys to follow but the imposing man’s forceful glance made the lower demon froze. He continued to toss the midnight stone egg into the air, the jewel even more priceless because it was faceted. It was exceedingly rare for a piece of midnight stone to be cut in such a manner, each dark facet reflecting the light it caught. This single piece could easily pay for all the slaves the trader had on hand. It was already a bargain that it was only the boy and the mad whore, the slave trader decided that he could be generous.

It was not long before the boy came back with a small bundle of pieces of torn fabrics tucked under his arm. The slave trader could not hide his eagerness as he reached out his hand for the jewel. The boy’s new master dropped the stone into the outstretched palm. The trader hissed at his creatures to stand down when they surged forward surrounding him, eager to see the precious jewel. Taking advantage of the distraction, the two men quickly made their retreat with what they had come to retrieve. This den of filth and depravity was not a place to linger when business had been concluded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had left the nondescript carriage some distance away from the pleasure slums, the boy was barefooted, and his new master could see that he was having difficulties walking over the rough terrain. He almost yelped out loud when he was picked up and slung over the dark-haired man’s shoulder. The stones had slashed open the boy’s soles, but he had not muttered a word. The two men hurried, aware that they might be followed and true enough, as they caught sight of the carriage, the sounds of pursuit could be heard.

“My Lord, I will hold them off. You take the woman and boy and leave first.” The older man spoke as he settled the woman and the boy into the carriage.

“Meet us at the Gate and do a clean job, Agares.”

“Understood, My Lord. I will leave no trace. Sallos, go now.” Agares saluted, fist over heart.

There was a sharp crack of a whip, and the carriage moved off, gaining speed but the boy heard no sound as they sped away into the ever night. He did not understand what was going on, but his new master had taken his mother along and that was enough for him. His new master removed the featureless mask, a reddish gold spark jumped from his fingertips and ignited the mask burning it to nothing. This was the first time, the boy saw the face of his new master, he was a handsome and imposing man, his features were well defined, chiselled like that of a fine statue. Light tanned skin, dark auburn hair and golden eyes made an arresting combination that radiated aristocracy and the boy had heard the other man named Agares address him as a lord. 

“Mas...mas… master… I… I… believe you need to claim and bind our slave marks else we will still… still… belong to them.” The boy shuddered.

“Where is your slave mark?” The man asked softly.

The boy’s face redded but pulled the cloak that stilled covered him aside to reveal his naked right hip, the slave mark glowed faintly. Slavery was forbidden in Devildom but the current king turns a blind eye to it when it suited his purpose. Instead of the actual serf system, where the lower class worked for their land and protection from their lords, many of the nobility exploited the king’s tolerance and kept slaves instead, denying them all rights even their lives. The lad was a little confused when he saw his master’s face was grim and his fist clenched but when the man turned to him, his expression was gentle again. 

“What I am about to do to your slave mark might hurt a little, try to bear it but you can cry out if you can’t bear it. This carriage is under a spell of silence, no one will hear.”

The boy nodded.

Again, he saw the same red-gold energy gathered at his master’s fingertip, he had thought he was prepared for pain but when his master touched the slave mark, he screamed. The boy clamped his mouth shut immediately, clasping his fists tightly to fight the impulse to scream again even as his eyes watered with tears. It seemed like his master was indeed burning his slave mark away with that red-gold fire. He tried his best to endure it but the last thing he remembered was those warm golden eyes and that big warm hand on his head before darkness claimed him.


	2. Time for Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violent and gore... a lot of OCs and a lot of assumptions / my own imagination and theories.

Bael carefully wiped the tears from the boy’s face and wrapped him up securely in the cloak before he settled the unconscious child by his mother’s side. The slave mark had been burned away by his own power so the child would no longer be recognized as a slave. He would do the same for the boy’s mother when they arrive back at his castle, but he was doubtful how much of her mind could be recovered. He was too late, and he had failed in his last promise to his dear old friend.

Bael was of the House of Ulv, one of the higher noble houses with a bloodline as old and revered as the royal line. Out of loyalty and a sense of self-preservation, the previous Head of Ulv had purposely avoided the Royal Court. The King was well known for his mistrust and suspicious nature, while he needed the powers of the higher houses, he was also wary that they could grow too formidable and threaten his sovereignty.

The House of Ulv had stayed away from the Court politics, keeping to themselves in their far northern selfdom and minding their own business. Bael’s father Duke Vassago would dutifully present himself every century for the High Convention where all lords of realm from the highest dukes to the lowest barons were to come forth and re-sworn their allegiance to the Crown. He had taken care to come across as an affable country lord, often laughing too boisterously and helping himself too generously to the food and wine the lavish Court could provide. In the Court of a jealous, suspicious King, it was safer to be mistaken for a buffoon than to come across as a potential threat. Bael did not like it but he understood his father’s motives. There was also another reason why House Ulv stayed innocuous before the King, they had a long-standing friendship with the House Aevum. Bael had grown up together with the Aevum heir, the two young demons being firm friends however this would be a taboo if the King was aware. That relationship alone was akin to treason since the power of the time seers could only be used by the King. The House of Ulv had no choice but to keep their distance when the King started to suppress the Aevum House.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_“Bael, I cannot get you further involved. The King is already suspicious of any noble house that has a close connection to my House. It might have started out as a rumour, but I know what I saw… It would come to pass.” The teal-haired demon had leaned in close, his voice dipping to a whisper as he breathed the last of his secret into Bael’s ear._

_His golden eyes had flared wide in disbelief as he regarded his closest friend._

_“How is that even possible, Barbatos?”_

_“That was what I saw… You know as well as I do that only time seers can see the future for those of the royal house. The fact that I had a vision means something even though I am not as gifted as my father being only to see bits and pieces. Some heir I am to the House of Aevum…” Barbatos signed._

_“My family has never been involved in the Court politics and we are far removed from the seat of power. My father played the fool every century to appease the King so that his attention would not fall on House Ulv.”_

_“I’m sorry, Bael. I do not know how or why or when… that is beyond my abilities. That was all I can tell you. My father has summoned me back to Horae and I must leave immediately. Be careful, my dear friend. In case… in case I don’t see you again.”_

_“Barbatos, what do you mean?” Bael gripped the younger demon’s shoulder as he turned to leave._

_“I have a bad premonition about returning to Horae this time. Nonetheless, I must go for my family is there. Remember, do nothing when the King comes and promise me if anything happens to me… You’ll look after Alysa for me.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The King had descended unannounced to Ulv with his personal army through the Gate on the estate, slyly requesting for Duke Vassago and his eldest son Bael to accompany him to Horae. It was precisely because the King was aware of the relationship between the two Houses that he had deliberately done so. House Ulv seemed subservient but any House with the old bloodline was a potential threat to his reign. If they tried to save the House of Aevum, that would be killing two birds with one stone. The King watched like a hungry vulture, just one misstep and two Houses would fall.

The night before, he had joined his father at the castle ramparts, they had studied the number of campfires dotting their land from across the castle’s defensive moat. It was a veiled threat, this show of armed strength thinly disguised as a warning to not only House Ulv but to all who have eyes to see. The King had been evasive not giving a clear answer for his presence in Ulv and Bael’s sense of foreboding increased as he remembered his best friend’s last words to him. Bael’s teeth was hurting from clenching his jaw tight as he rode behind the king’s army on their march to Horae.

Horae bordered the lands of Ulv and ever since they had retreated from the Royal Court, the clan of time demons had diminished even further. This was a clan of scholars, historians, healers and seers, their numbers have never been many, and they depended on Ulv for protection and provisions in exchange for their knowledge. By arriving at Ulv, the King had effectively render Horae defenceless and if Ulv were to rise to protect Aevum, they too would be immediately branded as traitors. Father and son watched powerless as the King’s army marched into Horae and declared the House of Aevum guilty of high treason.

High treason was the gravest crime against the Crown and punishable by execution of the entire clan. Young, old, male, and female, no one was spared as the king’s soldiers dragged everyone out in chains before the King. Bael’s fist clenched the reins of his hellsteed, the battled trained creature sensed his master’s agitation, tossing its scaly head but stood still as disciplined. The Aevum clan was counted out like sheep before the slaughter, not even given any basic dignity. They kneeled in front of their King, protesting their innocence but it was futile, he had long decided their guilt even without concrete proof. There was no reasoning with a king with paranoia who saw a conspiracy in every whispered conversation. Bael wanted to spur his mount forward to protest against the rough treatment but his father gripped his arm in silent warning. 

The King ordered the Aveum manor torched while the members of the fallen house were collared and manacled on their hands and feet. He sneered, revelling in their suffering as he forced the clan to watch their home consumed by the flames. It took all of Bael’s will to not reach for the sword sheathed at his side. It was not long before the manor before them was reduced to a smoking, blacken ruin. Finally satisfied, the King gave orders to march back to Ulv where they Gate back to the capital. The prisoners were shoved and pushed to keep them moving to keep pace with the soldiers. Bael tried to get closer but the soldiers keep the prisoners surrounded. Barbatos was with his father and their family at the head of the contingent and when he tried to ride up, the soldiers closed ranks and placed their hands on their weapons, a not so subtle warning to keep him away. He drew back, seething inside with the inability to do more.

_Do nothing when the King comes…_

The words of a time seer were often cryptic as they were bound by their Blood Oath only to reveal their visions to their sworn liege. The fact that Barbatos could reveal his last vision to him was already evidence that the Oath had been destroyed when the King repudiated House Aveum’s loyalty. Bael was not sure what would happen once the prisoners arrived back at the capital. His father’s eyes and ears in the capital had reported back that the King had built a huge amphitheatre like structure called a Colosseum near his castle. It was also rumoured that the place was linked via underground passages to the castle’s dungeons. There had been many reports of late of the King’s many acquisitions of various types of monsters and wild beasts which were released into this Colosseum to fight against each other. These fights were only privy to the nobles as spectators and it was said that they could wager Grimm on these fights which was often to death. Bael had not pay much heed to these reports dismissing them as senseless recreation of the privileged initially, but the latest missive reported the first fight between a chimera and a lower demon accused of theft. Time demons were not warriors even though there was occasionally one who might be gifted in offensive magic.

Against monsters and beasts, they will not survive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scent of blood permeated the very air in the Colosseum. The heavy metallic miasma was so thick that many of the audience had already turned squeamish. There was so much of the bright cerise liquid splattered across the arena that the sands could not soak it up in time. Torn body parts, spilled guts, visceral and brains littered liberally across the vast arena floor as the manticore went on a rampage. The King watched from his private box with his selected favourites among the current Houses as well as his four Cardinal Dukes, slipping from a crystal goblet a wine the exact same shade of cerise below. He was amused both by the spectacle happening below as the starving manticore torn off half the torso of a hapless time demon and also pale, sicken faces of some of those around him. It was a brilliant idea not to proceed with the typical execution for treason for this doomed House. He smiled and toasted Duke Amdusias, the Eastern Cardinal of House Jaculus who gave him this brilliant suggestion. It was evident his other two Cardinal Dukes Vassago and Flauvos did not enjoy the bloodbath, their faces grim while the last remaining Duke Vual kept an impassive visage as always. The South Cardinal Duke of House Aquila was the most battle harden general in Devildom as his dukedom bordered the Lost Lands where creatures worse than demons haunt.

One by one, they screamed trying to escape their most certain deaths except one who was trying valiantly but in vain to hold off the manticore with magic. A manticore’s skin was able to repel most magic making it one of the hardest and most dangerous beasts to hunt and kill even by demons. Soon, the mage was the last one left alive in that carnage, barely able to dodge aside as one of his kin sacrifice himself to buy him an opening but it was too late, the claws of the beast shear the head clean off the body spraying all that bright red blood in an arc that splashed onto the sole survivor. His teal coloured hair was dyed red by blood. The King snorted as he recognized the Aveum heir as the last one standing in the arena. His pretty little sister had the hair the same colour and how she had moaned for him as he took her virginity the previous night in his bed offering herself as a trade for her family’s lives. It was indeed too entertaining to utterly bring a House down this way, those too young or too old were rewarded as live prey to his caged beasts and monsters. The females were given to his soldiers to ravish until they were broken then given pieces of hot coals to swallow so that those who survived would never be able to speak before they were sold off to the pleasure slums. The males were given a chance prove their valour and entertain his nobles in his Colosseum.

The King’s grin got wider when he heard a soft, low hum in an almost sentimental tone that was strangely out of place. It was all the louder as the stands had fallen silent as his nobles bore witness to his brilliant execution. Those who had so boldly cheered and jeered, crying for blood and he had not disappointed them. Blood was what they wanted, and blood was what they shall have. The manticore had raised its scorpion tail, the sheen of deadly venom visible on the sting. Perhaps that was a small mercy as the poison killed its prey instantly. The soft crooning continued, a bizarre song as the manticore started to devour its bloody feast.

He had made sure not a single one of them was wasted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoiler Warning: When I was playing the game at Lesson 25 / 26 I was reminded of the Colosseum and what Diavolo mentioned and worked it into my story. The names I have used are from the list of 72 demons (the ones that Solomon has pacts with?).


	3. Time Starts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young demon gets his name and learns about his legacy.

It took almost close to two weeks and purposely taking an extensive and meandering route around Devildom before they returned to Taniere, Bael’s own smaller personal holdings away from Ulv. He would rather err on the side of caution than to make a mistake after spending so many years to track down Barbatos’ sister. They had barely paused on the road, stopping only to purchase necessary supplies, and using as little magic as possible to avoid detection. The despicable slave trader embolden by greed had send his men after them, thinking just two men would be easy targets but they had not anticipated meeting Agares, Bael’s personal manservant who was more than capable of making sure none of them would live to report back.

His father had been apprehensive about his decision to find Alysa, but he had stood by the last promise made to his dead friend. There was no way he would stand by idle especially after he had seen the boy. They had brought Alysa to some healers, while they could heal the harm to her body, the damage to her mind was another matter. Traumatized, abused and the long-term use of drugs had shattered her mind, she recognized no one but her son. The boy had told them there were occasions when she was lucid and that was when she would use her own blood to scribble on the scraps of fabric that were so precious to her. She had told him those scraps were his legacy. Bael had thought it was just the random musings of a deranged mind until one day he heard her whisper his name. At first, he had thought he imagined it until she said it again when they were in the carriage.

“Bael…Dearthair…” Her voice was faint, but he clearly heard the pet name she had given to him and only she referred to him by this term of endearment.

“Alysa?”

Bael reached out his hand to her slowly, careful not to startle her with any sudden movement. Her small hands closed over his and clasped them tightly, she trembled a little as she struggled to speak coherently. Bael controlled the impulse to hold her, worried that he might trigger unpleasant memories for her given that Alysa had been turned into a pleasure slave and he was not sure how much she remembered in the short time she regained her lucidity.

“My… boy… where… where…is… he?” 

“He’s safe with us and helping to fetch water. I will ask Agares to go get him.”

“Yes, please… get him. I have… to…have… to…”

Alysa’s voice faltered for a bit and he could see her eyes start to cloud but her hands gripped his, drawing strength from him as she tried to gather and hold on to her thoughts. She had been the youngest born more than three hundred years after Barbatos so in his memory, she had always been a baby to them. She was the little girl who loved to wear flowers in her hair and run after them in the fields. Bael felt another jolt of guilt in his heart, he had indeed forgotten about her as he assumed his duties as a lord and barely visited Horae anymore. She not only had become a woman in his absence but had suffered the massacre of her home and clan.

“My Lord, I’ve brought the boy.”

“Mother!” The lad almost fell as he clambered up the steps to the carriage in his haste.

“Child… my child…” Alysa cried out in relief, letting go of Bael to hug her boy tightly. 

“Listen and listen well because I might not be able to tell you again. My child, you are the last of our line. We are of House Aevum, hereditary time seers who were the eyes of the King. We see the future and the past. You must read what I have written down. I was not old enough to be Awaken when our House fell but you have to… you have to be Awakened and choose a new king...”

_A new king…_

The same words echoed in Bael’s mind, those few words were the very root of the rumour that destroyed Aevum, and those were also the last words that Barbatos had spoken to him. but Alysa was not Awakened, she should not have been able to see any vision or portents. He wanted to question her further to find out what she knew but he was also afraid that pressing too hard would trigger her condition. The Aevum line had also died out, there would be no one left to Awaken the boy when he comes of age. 

“You have to find my father; he is still alive… that… the… _King_ blinded him but my father lives. I saw him before… before… _Arghhh!_ ” Alysa cried out; her eyes were wild, and unfocused in fear as images of the past came to her.

She shuddered, her whole body shaking as her hands shoved the boy away to clutch her head as she started to shriek like a banshee. Bael caught the boy before he crashed into upholstered seat. He wanted to cover the boy’s eyes so that he would not see but he was surprised when the young lad pulled his hand away and Bael belatedly realized that this would not be the first time, the lad had seen his mother this way. The boy’s clear green eyes met his and he started to hum a tune that Bael recognized as an old lullaby. Agares and Sallos were on alert, their hands on their weapons but Bael held up his hand asking them to hold back as he joined the boy in humming the old familiar tune. Alysa continued to keen but the volume and intensity reduced as the soothing melody got through her chaotic mind.

Gradually, she quietened down but her eyes were glazed over and glassy. Alysa started to giggle to herself as she swayed to the melody. It was obvious that they had lost her. The boy stopped humming and picked up the book of fabric scraps, handing it to Bael. The young lord took over the pieces of torn fabric and stepped out of the carriage with the young lad following him. He moved near to the campfire that his men had prepared and settled down to examine the scraps more carefully. Initially, it read like the random ramblings of a mad woman but as he started to piece the information together in a coherent manner. Alysa had spoken the truth; this was indeed the legacy of Aevum as well as what had happened to her since the time she was taken away by the King.

“Boy, have you read this and how much do you comprehend?”

“Yes, Master. I can remember it by heart but there are some parts that I do not understand.”

“You are no longer a slave, do not address me as your master.” 

“My Lord, then.”

Bael was taken back when the boy changed the form of addressing him. There was something of the boy’s manner that reminded him painfully of one he had lost. He had been so focused on getting them to safety that he had been remiss about the boy. Given that he grew up in the pleasure slums, the boy was not as innocent as most children his age, having a more mature and quieter demeanour. He rarely spoke unless spoken too and was quick and full of initiative, helping out his men with the odds and ends on the road without any complaints. 

“Did they give you a name?” 

“No, My Lord. Everyone just called me as you did.”

“You’ll need a proper name; we can’t be calling you boy anymore.” He reached out and ruffled the boy’s teal coloured hair affectionately and he could see that the boy was finally not flinching from his touch. 

“It was a shame that you never melt your uncle. He was your mother’s brother and my best friend. You shall bear his namesake and carry on your House’s legacy. From today forth, you shall be known as Barbatos.”

“My Lord, is that wise?” Agares interjected with concern.

“I doubt the despot would remember names. Too many have died under his reign for him to care about the minor details and it’s not that unique a name exclusive to the House of Aevum.”

“Ba..bar…ba ..tos…. Barbatos… Barbatos…” The boy rolled the name on his tongue and he smiled.

“Thank you, My Lord. I like my name.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Agares, I will put Barbatos under your care. Teach him all that you know, it will be very important that he learns all about being not only a steward but is well versed in the matter of court politics.”

“Should I include weaponry and combat, My Lord?”

“Start him off on some basic self-defence, the rest can wait. He does not need to be trained like a page. One more thing, dye his hair but not by magic. Teal is not a common hair colour even in Devildom.”

“Understood, My Lord. Lady Alysa is now in the care of Old Marga. I believe keeping her away from the Keep would be a much safer arrangement.”

Bael nodded in approval at his manservant’s consideration. Old Marga was the wise woman staying in the forests located north of his Keep. She was well versed in herbs and her cottage was secluded and peaceful, making it an ideal place for Alysa to live out her days away from any prying eyes. He would be returning to Ulv on the morrow before anyone noticed his absence at his Father’s side. Bael had made it a practise to visit his own holdings quarterly per year, so that time away from Ulv would not flag any attention to the spies he was sure the King had planted. The Cardinal Dukes were the next highest power in Devildom to the King and it had been long rumoured that he had plans to forge a much closer alliance with the Southern Duke through marriage. The King had yet to take a Queen despite his numerous consorts and he had set his eyes on Duke Vual’s only daughter, Lady Margarite who was still a girl around Barbatos’ age. He had asked for her hand officially and Duke Vual could not refuse but delay handing his daughter over until she reaches her millennial age.

That was roughly another seven hundred years to go and Bael hoped by then Barbatos would be ready. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearthair - Irish for Brother.  
> Aevum - Latin for Time  
> Taniere - French for Lair   
> Ulv - Danish for Wolf   
> Horae - Latin for Hour


	4. Time's Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing a major OC which will be very important in the upcoming chapters. She is a half Kitsune (Japanese fox spirit) and I am taking liberties with the Lantern Night people which was mentioned in the yukata summer festival pop quiz recently. I'll bring Barbatos back in the next chapter!

“Greetings to you, Oji-sama. Are you well? I was so shocked that I almost fainted when I heard that Your Highness was hurt in the hunt. Nyotei-sama has tasked me to bring you her best physician.” The effeminate old eunuch approached, bending low in a deferential bow with the physician behind him.

“I am well, Attendant Aoki. It was barely a scratch. I was fortunate to have Kei with me when the bear attacked, please sent the physician to see to her instead.”

“My Prince, Kei is your Kage, it is her duty to protect you, her injuries should not be a concern. I understand that Your Highness and Kei grew up together but please be reminded of your noble status. You are Her Majesty’s only son and heir; it is not becoming to be close to a lowly servant.” The old eunuch rebuked the young prince.

Prince Shou sighed.

This was not the first time he had been reminded and chided by his Empress Mother’s closest attendant. The Lantern Night Tribe was the biggest clan of fox spirit demons who generally dwell in the Spiritual Realm which was separated from the other realms by the Tsuki Kekkai, the Moon Barrier. While the clan followed a monarchy system, there was no prejudice between a Emperor or Empress as long as he or she was descended from the pure bloodline of the Tenko. The current monarch was a Empress and Prince Shou was her only son and he would be next Emperor of the Lantern Night fox clan which governs over the other smaller clans. Kei had been with him since they were cubs, being his Shadow and they shared a special bond.

They had joined the hunt for the rogue bear spirit demon that had been killing the foxes for their spirit pearls. He had insisted even though Kei had been reluctant and had advised against it. He never thought they would end up getting separated from the main hunt in the freak snowstorm and gotten ambushed by bear demon. Prince Shou pressed a hand over his chest, the rending pain from the bear’s claw slashing down was fresh on his mind even though it took mere seconds before the wound was transferred to Kei through the Kage curse. He saw the blood that sprayed from her chest even as she rammed the bear from one side, leaping off her mount to thrust her swords through the spirit demon’s head. If not for the main hunt finding them fast enough and her own ability to heal, they would have both died that night. 

The wound he had taken would have killed him if not for Kei’s quick reaction. He had barely a scratch and that soon would disappear, but he knew the scars she took for him would never heal entirely. She suffered every scrape and bruise for him whenever he was not careful in addition to her own injuries. He had never thought much of it when they were still cubs, even using it as a means to impress the other noble born young foxes. Enjoying the awe and respect in their eyes, when they see him gash open his own palm only to have the wound disappear and appear on hers. Until he felt the scar tissue that criss-crossed her palm when she had offered her hand to help him up after he had a mock fight with the other noble foxes. It was then he finally understood the significance of having a Kage and had stop hurting himself for senseless reasons. 

“Yes, Kei is my Kage but if she dies, there will be one less Bushi to protect me. Sent the royal physician to her.”

Prince Shou’s voice was firm, his request a polite command as he dismissed the old eunuch from his bedchamber. The old Attendant bowed again and retreated out of the room but as the doors slid shut, he dropped the pretence of his smiling face with evident displeasure. Making a snort of derision, he gestured impatiently for the physician to leave. The physician inclined his head in respect and turned to head towards the Bushi quarters. The eunuch turned on his heel and went the opposite direction towards the Queen’s chambers. He would report this to Her Majesty, a lowly half-blood was not worth the efforts of the royal physician, but the Prince had given a direct command.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kei was burning up from inside, sweat trickled down her face and body. Her blood had finally stopped seeping through as the deep jagged tear across her torso slowly closed. The wound was still raw, Kei tried not to move as her body tried to heal itself. This was the worse injury she had sustained through the curse. If she had not been able to ram the rogue bear off course with her steed, its claw would have ripped out the Prince’s heart or more accurately her heart. If she had been any slower, the wound would have incapacitated her before she had the chance to kill the creature. She had lost consciousness as the bear flung her off in its death throes. Since, she was not dead, that meant her Prince was fine. Her keen senses were dulled by pain, but she could still smell the pungent herb poultice they put on her wound. Kei grimaced wryly, she was a servant, even though she was one of the Prince’s guard, no one would use the more costly potions and healing salves on her. 

She did not have a room at the Bushi quarters but instead lived in a small make-shift room on top of the stables. The noble born warriors had considered her too low-born to stay with them. For Kei lacked the nine-tails that would make her worthy, having only five. Some fox demons gained their tails as their magic grew with age, but Kei barely had any magic. She could barely conjure a mere sliver of fox fire to see in the dark. Kei rarely took on her fox form because her appearance was like an unspoken taboo. She was a black fox with silver tipped fur but that was not the only thing peculiar about her for she possessed a rack of stag-like antlers on her head. She was a half-blood bastard and, in a clan, where the purity of bloodline was everything, Kei was an outcast who was only tolerated because she was their Prince’s Shadow. 

Despite her lack of magic, her body had the strange ability to heal itself. Broken bones could knit, cuts could close but the recovery was a long painful process and the scars remained. Her consciousness slipped in and out of delirium and Kei has lost track of how many days had passed since they had brought her back. She barely heard the soft creak of the ladder leading up to the tiny loft above the stables. Cool steady hands touched her forehead, a contrast to heat that burned her from within. She barely registered when the bloody blanket covering her was removed. There had been no consideration for her modesty, she was naked from waist up, the herb poultice carelessly smeared across the wound. She heard a low murmur of disapproval then a gasp of dismayed surprise as the same hands carefully scrape the poultice away. 

Her wound as a ghastly one, starting beneath her collar bone, running down from her left to right, between her breasts to her lower rib cage. On a man it might have been a mark of valour to boast about but for a woman to bear such a disfiguring scar would mean that no man would ever ask for her hand. Not that it mattered, Kei was a Kage, her life was not her own, she was bounded to her Hikari until either of them dies. The Kage curse was an old and ancient means of protecting the Tenko heir. Once the Hikari or Light and the Shadow were bound, any sickness, injury suffered by the Light would be almost instantaneously transferred to the Shadow. A Shadow would never outlive the Light and this powerful curse that entwined two lives so impeccably was passed on from each generation of the Lantern Night monarch. Prince Shou had been her Light since her earliest memory, Kei did not know who her parents were. The servants had whispered and gossiped behind her back, calling her all sorts of names - changeling, half-blood, bastard, half-breed. Kei knew fully well that she was tolerated but never welcomed in the clan. She hissed in pain as some kind of salve was spread over the raw new skin, but after the first initial sting, the pain and the fever start to dull, luring her once more into oblivion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A shrill scream pierced the air, frightening the nightmares in the stable into neighing with alarm. Kei sat up in a huff and guessed they must have sent in a new servant to her again. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance and induced another short-muffled scream. This was not the first time a new maid or page had been pranked but surely this one screamed the loudest. She was the only living Kage and usually she kept her eyes shrouded with a cowl when she was about her duties. Due to the curse, the sclera and pupil of her eyes were fully black like two bottomless voids. Kei had forgotten how unnerving her eyes could look to the uninitiated. 

“No, stop screaming. I won’t hurt you.” Kei eyed the cowering figure at the foot of her bed in exasperation. 

“Don’t… don’t… don’t...come near me!!” She had initially thought it was a girl maidservant from the high-pitched screams but from the light sky-blue livery, it was a page boy instead. 

Kei got up gingerly, she was stiff and while her wound had healed, the skin over the new scar was tight and pulled painfully with her movement. She grimaced and opened the trunk that held her merger belongings. Kei had no idea how many days she had been unconscious, and if her past experiences still hold true, she must be looking like a frightful mess with all the blood. Reaching into the trunk, she pulled out a shabby but clean inner robe and a shawl. Knowing the boy would be too frightened to peek, she stripped down to the skin and wrapped the robe about herself and wrapped the shawl about her head like a makeshift hood so that her eyes were hidden.

“Who sent you and what do you want?” She asked as she found the small basket she used for her laundry and collected her soiled clothes and bedding, standing on the other side so that her bed was between the page boy and herself.

“The…the…P-p-p-prin—ce… send me. I was…was… to give you this…” One trembling finger pointed to the long wooden tray beside him. 

It was a set of the formal attire worn by the Prince’s personal guard dyed in indigo as he had promised to her. A set of new clothing to wear at his Seijin Shiki – the Coming of Age Ceremony that celebrated his thousand years. Prince Shou had always tease her about her clothes. She had chosen not to wear the usual colours of the Prince’s guard since it was mostly white as her high tendency for injury was rough on her clothes, she had opt to wear black or dark coloured clothes for the practical reason as the blood would not show so obviously. He had laughed then and promised her this gift.

“Now that you have delivered it, you can go. Go on… I’ll stay on this side. Don’t trip and fall on the ladder on your way down.” 

She turned her back so that the young page might make good his escape, but she still heard the inevitable yelp and thud as the youngster tumbled down the ladder in his hurry to get away. Kei opened the small latch that served as a window and noticed that it was late morning and it seemed that the Shiro was already decorated with colourful banners for the Prince’s birth anniversary celebrations. Her stomach growled in hunger and Kei carefully put the new clothes into a cloth bundle and noticed a small box hidden under the clothes. The box was made from sandalwood and as she opened it, her eyes widened as she saw the belt hanging ornament of lavender jade. It was circular in shape, intricately carved with a design of a crescent moon and a running fox. Kei clutched it against her heart, she was happy but there was also a deep sense of melancholy. She placed it back into its box and tucked it into the cloth bundle. Taking a deep breath, Kei undressed and shifted into her fox form, holding the cloth bundle securely in her mouth, she leaped gracefully out of the window and ran across the roof of the stables.

No one noticed the sleek black fox, jumping over the rough stones of the castle wall to vanish into the woods. The dense forest that surrounded the Lantern Night Shiro served as a natural defensive barrier and Kei had a secret hideout inside. She had found the small cave hidden by the roots of an ancient tree accidentally during one of her late-night ambles away from the castle when she felt restless. Her presence at the Shiro was not welcomed. The servants were usually scared, and the nobles ostracized her, so she tried her best to keep out of the way for both. The cave was more like a real home to her and she secreted away enough supplies that she could live away from the castle if she needed to. There were even two underground springs that she could use for cleaning and drinking.

Placing the cloth bundle down, she shifted back to her normal form and walked into one of the springs. The water was cold, but she endured it, sinking deep until the water covered her head. She held her breath for as long as she could, suspended in the water, perhaps it was a remnant of the time in her unknown mother’s womb, a fragment of the fragile safety that she no longer had. The air bubbles gradually escaped her lips, and she rose out of the water. Picking up a small washcloth, she scrubbed away at the grime that covered her body and her hair. No one would be looking at her, but she was part of the Prince’s guard and she could not shame him and his gift by her unkempt appearance. Kei stepped out of the water and dried herself. She untied the cloth bundle and swiftly dressed. Wearing a thin inner cotton robe, Kei layered on with an outer black kosode tied with an obi before putting on the hakama. She looped through the jade belt ornament and secured the sash of her hakama pants. Kei ran a hand over the indigo haori which bore the Prince’s crest before putting it on. All her life she had worn male clothing even though she was female. Kei was slender but she was much taller and her physique more athletic than the usual dainty feminine spirit vixens. They would be dressed in the fanciest kimonos for the celebrations today as the Seijin Shiki also meant the Prince was now able to choose a mate.

The thought stirred a dull ache not from her wound but deep in her heart. Kei ran her fingers through her black and silver ombre hair and gathered it behind the nape of her neck, securing the long tail with a leather cord. Draping a plain black shawl around her neck, she finished her preparations and slipped her foot into the black tabi and zora that completed the formal dress attire of a Prince’s guard. Kei slipped between the tree roots and exited her cave. Lifting her fingers to her lips, she whistled. In the distance, a whinny answered her call and before long, the ink black night stallion cantered over and stopped in front of her, pawing the earth with its mighty hooves even as it nuzzled her in affection. 

Kei stroked the soft velvety nose of her steed and carefully inspected the mighty stallion for any sights of injury after the fight with the bear. The horse snorted and nickered at her in assurance and satisfied her mount was fine, Kei easily pulled herself up to straddle its back. Feeling her familiar weight, her steed pranced making her laugh before turning to head back towards the Shiro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oji-sama -Japanese for Prince  
> Nyotei-sama – Queen / Empress  
> Kei - blessing  
> Shou – he who soars and glides  
> Tenko – Celestial Fox  
> Kage – Shadow  
> Hikari – Light  
> Bushi - warrior  
> Shiro – castle / keep  
> Seijin Shiki – Coming of Age Ceremony  
> Obi – belt  
> Haori – coat  
> Kosode – Inner kimono garment  
> Hakama – pants like garment  
> Tabi & Zeta - traditional Japanese sock & footwear


	5. Wheels of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Wheels of Time have started to turn, drawing the destinies together.

“Greetings Nyotei-sama. I trust that these thousand years have treated you well?”

Tsukiko never thought she would hear that voice again, her hand tightened over her nephrite fan involuntarily but now she was the Lantern Night Empress, no longer that naïve, frivolous young fox spirit who had met him a thousand years ago. Tonight, was her son’s Coming of Age Ceremony and the Moon Barrier was lifted, envoys from the other realms had come to offer gifts and convey their well wishes. She had not thought that it would be him who would represent Devildom given his position, but it seemed that the past had come back to haunt her despite all that she had done to bury it. Tsukiko closed her black and yellow eyes momentarily to compose herself before she turned to regard the demon lord who had addressed her but before she could speak, another voice answered on her behalf.

“Duke Vual, of course the Empress and I are well, and we thank you for gracing this occasion with your esteemed presence. However, the ceremony is about to start, we should all be making our way to the Main Hall. Aoki, attend to Duke Vual and show him the way.” The Empress Consort smiled, greeting the demon lord as he crossed over the courtyard to the Empress’s side. 

“Ah yes, it would be rude of me to miss Prince Shou’s ceremony. Lord Ren, I will take my leave but there is _much_ I would like to discuss with the Empress. We will speak soon, Your Majesty.”

The demon Duke was easily a head taller than the Empress Consort, with the muscular physique of a born warrior, the four massive bone white antlers was a stark contrast against the long silver hair, rich mahogany skin, and deep-set eyes of cerulean. He was dressed simply in a doublet the same shade as his eyes with silver embroidery, but the aura of power that surrounded him was palpable. Compared to the more gentle, placid male fox spirits, his virile appeal was undeniable. The Empress knew fully well how attractive he could be and just how much that one forbidden night of passion would make her pay the ultimate price. 

It had been bold of the demon to even accost her in her private quarters, if not for the timely appearance of her Consort, Tsukiko might have overacted and called for her guards However, that would have created a greater scene that would be hard to cover up especially when there were many guests from the other realms present. An open altercation would also damage diplomatic ties with the Devildom. There had been many reports of the malevolent King of Devildom and it would not do to give slight to one of their Cardinal Dukes. The spirit realm had always pride itself on the grounds of neutrality not involving themselves in the matters of the other realms. Lord Ren held her hands, his light aquamarine eyes were full of concern. He knew there were secrets that she kept from him, but she had chosen him to be her mate and his love and loyalty to her was absolute. 

“My Empress, are you alright?” 

“Ren… It’s the time of my reckoning. I had been delusional, thinking that it’s all a bad dream. Looks like there are somethings that cannot be avoided. The auspicious hour is near… we must go to Shou’s ceremony. No matter what might happen next, we must complete the ceremony so that Shou is confirmed as my heir. We must go.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Agares, how fares our young man?” Bael swung down from his mount.

“You shall see for yourself, My Lord.” The elder manservant smiled somewhat enigmatically not answering the question directly.

“Oh?”

He had not meant to be away from Taniere for so long, but the circumstances had changed. Duke Vassagos’ health had declined increasing as he no longer had the heart to deal with the King. Bael as the firstborn son of House Ulv had stepped up to fill his father’s duties. There was increasingly a strange undercurrent in the Royal Court. It was a surprise that the King was seeking a matrimonial alliance with Duke Vual even though the only daughter of the southern lord was a famed beauty. Lady Margarite was known as The White Deer of Devildom because of her fair alabaster skin that was reputed to glow from within like an iridescent pearl. She had inherited her father’s sapphire eyes and her mother’s platinum locks. It was such an irony to Bael that a demoness would look like an angel. He knew the Eastern Duke Amdusias had sent a number of his daughters to the Royal Court in hopes that one of them would catch the King’s eye and secure the position of Queen, but the King apparently had other ideas which worked in Bael’s favour. He almost did not recognize the young man that approached him, until he noticed those familiar green eyes. 

“Welcome back, My Lord. I hope you had a good journey. Would you like to have some refreshments first or a bath to wash off the travel dust?” The slender young man pleasantly in a mellow baritone voice, bending over in a fluid and graceful bow.

“First a bath then the refreshments.”

“Excellent choice, My Lord. I will see to it.” Barbatos bowed once again and backed away from Bael discreetly until a respectful distance before he turned and left to see to the preparations.

Bael was impressed, the young man’s demeanour and deportment were impeccable. Agares smiled broadly at his young master, pleased by his apprentice’s first actual serving experience but this was only the beginning and the first step in his plans. However, there was more to being a good steward and servant than demeanour alone, it was imperative that he could handle any situation that would be thrown at him so that he could win his lord and master’s absolute trust. No doubt the amount of time required would take much longer but it was also safer, and Bael’s first consideration was to ensure that Barbatos’ survival. 

“Looks like you trained him well.” Bael grinned at his trusted aide. 

“The credit is not all mine alone, Young Master. The boy is an excellent student and accidentally he is also quite gifted in the kitchen. Unexpected but it would definitely come in handy.”

While they were close, Agares still walked behind his Lordship as they made their way inside the Keep. When they arrived at his personal quarters, a hot bath had already been drawn and prepared. Agares excused himself to attend to other matters. As Barbatos helped him to undress, Bael was able to observe the youth more closely. Bael had been right to name him after his uncle for the lad did indeed take after the features of the Aveum family making him a fine-looking young man. He was one of the King’s many bastards but Bael was glad he looked nothing like the sick despot. Bael put a hand into the bath water, impressed that the water was comfortably hot but not enough to scald and a few washcloths were arranged neatly by the side of the wooden tub. A new set of clothes were already hung over the privacy screen.

“My Lord, would you like me to scrub your back?” 

“Yes, please do.”

Bael lowered himself into the tub, leaning to the front and closed his warm golden eyes. Barbatos applied a damp washcloth to his back, carefully rubbing with the right pressure. The demon lord pretended to be asleep to see what Barbatos would do. The young man proceeded to clean his shoulders carefully but did not make any attempt to move him. It was only when the water started to cool that Barbatos called him.

“My Lord?”

“Hm?” Bael made a sound which could have indicated displeasure. 

The jade green eyes that met his were undaunted and if the young man was nervous, he gave no visible signs and merely asked dutifully if his Lordship would prefer to soak longer or prefer to complete his bath alone. Bael purposely closed his eyes and did not response to test what the young manservant would do. Unfazed, Barbatos turned to the bucket of water kept hot by the small brazier and carefully scooped the hot water, pouring the water by the edge of the bathtub. He then retreated behind the screen to give his Lord some privacy until he was called. Bael leaned back against the tub, enjoying the heat that helped to relax his body after a day of riding. Reaching out for a piece of washcloth, he washed himself quickly and called for Barbatos to help him dress. He was glad at least Barbatos was able to handle serving a naked adult male despite his past experiences at the pleasure slum. The boy was fortunate enough to escape direct abuse, but he had wondered if there were any traumatic experiences that Barbatos had not spoken of, but the young man’s unruffled response assured him that the past left no shadows.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kei watched from the shadows as Prince Shou stepped up on to the dais, resplendent in the formal white robes, his long white hair was tied back from his face with red silken cords, wearing the hereditary moonstone kitsune necklace on his chest. The Empress painted the sacred sigil marks on his face with rare red cinnabar and a thin golden circlet was placed on his head denoting his official rank. The High Priest shook the Kagura Suzu, the twelve small brass bells rang out loud and clear as he began the ritual dance said to draw down the Moon’s blessing.

Her eyes scanned across the hall as was habit to watch for any signs of danger or threat and she could not help the small gasp that escaped her lips when she saw the demon lord. Kei did not understand why there was a strange sense of familiarity when this was the first time, she set eyes on a demon from the lands of Devildom. He radiated power even at ease in the crowd of nobles and dignitaries from the foreign realms, but it was the four antlers on his head that riveted her glance.

_Why do they look so similar to those on her head?_

She was a foundling that had been raised by the retired old nanny of the Empress. Fox spirits do not procreate easily, and a child was considered a precious gift from the heavens. It was almost improbable that a cub would have been abandoned at birth but that was until it was noticed that this cub had strange bone snubs on its head, black and silver fur, five tails and those full black eyes. It had been long rumoured that she had blood outside of the clan in her veins. Kei had the sudden impulse to speak to that demon lord, but that was a foolish thought. She was a Shadow, she could never leave the side of her Light so even if she knew her parents might be from Devildom, there was not much she could do about it. It was foolish but the secret of her parentage still bothered her. She had tried so hard, breaking off the antlers from her head, because she wanted to be normal and accepted but they keep growing back forever branding her an outsider.

Tonight, was her thousand year too but only the prince remembered, and his gift hanged from her belt. The ceremony reached its peak as the full moon rose to the zenith, a strong bean of pale white light beaming through the special skylight in the roof of the main hall, bathing the fox prince and he unfurled the nine snowy white tails that was the mark of his nobility. It was now the best time to slip away before the nobility and guests start to congratulate Prince Shou. The celebratory feast would start soon after that so that means the imperial kitchen would be deserted as all the kitchen staff would have seen to the final preparation moving the finished food out to the Empress’ garden for the fox clans loved to have their celebrations beneath the moon. Just like she had not been welcomed in the Bushi quarters, there was no seat at their feasting table for her either. The one and only time she had thought to join them, they had jeered at her saying her presence spoiled their appetite. 

Kei easily made her way unnoticed to the deserted kitchen and retrieved an empty bento box and filled it with the small portions of the food she preferred. The kitchen staff usually set aside a meal box for her placing it near the entrance of the kitchen so that she could take it and go without encountering anyone. Today, she had come to get one of her favourite food. A rare smile touched her lips as she opened the steamer cover and took three of the still steaming Anman – sweet red bean paste buns. The flat white buns symbolized the moon and the sweet filling a blessing and for special occasions, special messages were stamped on the white buns with red food dye for auspiciousness. The white buns were a common food, but they held special significance to her as her Obasan first made them for her to celebrate her birth anniversary.

She made her way up to the ramparts as was habit. High above, she watched and observed everything. There was nothing much that went on in the Shiro without Kei being aware. This was where she practised her Kata and she modified the combat stances and movements as she studied each of the other Bushi from her vantage point. She ate slowly but her appetite waned as she saw the noble ladies present themselves before the Empress, her Consort and Prince Shou. They were gowned in their best silk kimonos like a garden of vibrant butterflies. Each perfectly coiffed and their faces painted, vying to catch the Prince’s favour. Kei’s heart tensed painfully; they were childhood friends, but she knew there were lines she cannot cross and feelings that she should not have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“My dear Empress, you know I have something you need, don’t you?” The archdemon bowed but this time his words were no longer mocking. 

The Empress Tsukiko’s fair white face seemed passive but only Lord Ren could tell the barest signs of nerves from the way she held her hands together. The demon lord had requested for a private audience and now three of them were in the Empress’s solar. Lord Vual reached into his coat and retrieved a small golden box. Tuskiko gasped as she felt the familiar pull that she had not felt in a thousand years, there was no doubt what was inside that box. It was her spirit pearl that she had lost after a foolish night of passion. If not for her Consort who had given her his pearl, her position as Empress would have been in jeopardy if anyone knew she lost her powers.

“What do you want from me?”

“I want the Kage curse.” 


	6. Blood Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A secret is revealed and it does not end well.

“Kei, you are wanted before Nyotei-sama. Follow me now immediately.”

For Attendent Aoki to have personally come to the stables to get her, Kei had an ominous feeling about the sudden summon. It was no secret that the Empress detested the sight of her, ever commanding Kei never to appear in front of her eyes. Kei unconsciously adjusted her clothes, making sure she was presentable and pulled her hood over her eyes before following the old eunuch towards the Empress’s quarters. This was an area that she had rarely step foot in even when she was with Prince Shou. The old eunuch stopped outside the antechamber leading to the Empress’ solar and made an impatient gesture for her to enter. As the doors slid shut behind her, Kei’s sense of foreboding grew even stronger. 

“Your Majesty?” Kei kneeled but not before she noticed there was another presence in the room besides the Empress and her Consort.

“Remove your cowl and take your half form.” It was Lord Ren who spoke.

Kei was uneasy but it was not for her to disobey him. She raised her hands to lift the hood and with the briefest hesitation shifted into the form she was most reluctant to take especially in front of others. The bone antlers extended out from her head and her five silver tipped tails unfurled behind her back. Her head was down so she did not see the Empress’ face, but the sense of abhorrence was so strong that Kei felt it. It was something that she never understood why the Empress resented her so much.

“Oh? A half-blood? Interesting but what has this got to do with my request?” The voice was a low and deep belong to the demon lord she saw during the ceremony.

“Lord Vual, did you not ask for a Kage curse? Kei here is the Kage.” It was Lord Ren who spoke.

“Is the curse not one where another can take on injuries and sickness for another as a replacement? I want the curse to be place on me for my daughter.” The demon lord finally stated his purpose.

“For your daughter? Oh my… What an irony…. Ha ha ha ha..” The laughter was bitter, and Kei was surprised that it came from the Empress who had been silent so far.

Lord Ren heaved a sigh and gestured swiftly with his fingers, creating a barrier about the room. 

“What we are about to speak of, can and only be heard within these four walls. Lord Vual, you are not wrong about the function of the Kage curse, but I am afraid it is not as simple as that as there are certain conditions to fulfil. The curse is an ancient one meant to protect the Lantern Night bloodline, it can only be made on one of our clan and there has to be a blood relationship, the closer the more effective.” 

“I see… then it would seem that the trade I proposed would not be possible.” Disappointment was evident. 

“Let us not be too hasty to come to a conclusion. There is a reason why I have asked for Kei to be brought here. Do you really not see the connection? Do you really need to shame me so utterly?” The Empress spoke resentfully.

“Hmm?” Duke Vual turned his attention back to the figure still kneeling on the floor. 

“Your Majesty, why don’t you let me tell a tale on your behalf?” Lord Ren moved to the Empress’s side, calming her with his presence.

“A thousand years past, a fox princess encountered a demon. She was attracted to him because he was different, but the demon tricked her, taking her spirit pearl, and left her after a night of passion. The princess had already chosen a consort who gave his spirit pearl to her and she was soon with child. However, she gave birth to a pair of twins – a boy and a girl who were as different as day and night as they share not the same sire. In order to hide the fact that there was one unwanted child, she was cursed right from birth to become the shadow of her twin.”

Kei could not believe what she was hearing, she trembled as the implications of Lord Ren’s tale hit her. She wanted so to speak but her tongue could not form the words. This was the secret she wanted to know all her life, yet nothing prepared her for the brutal truth. Kei had never shed a tear in her life, not even when the pain transferred on to her but now tears fell unheeded down her face. All she wanted to do was to flee but as she staggered to her feet, pale blue tendrils of energy bounded her hands and feet forcing her down to her knees once more.

“The Kage curse cannot be casted for you but there is another way around it since your blood runs in her as well. It is possible that we might change the Hikari that is bounded to this Kage but for that we will need Her Majesty’s spirit pearl.” 

Duke Vual stepped over to where Kei was, looking into the black void of her eyes and the trail of her tears. He had not expected there would be a child from that fateful night when his sole purpose was to secure the spirit pearl. The antlers on her head no doubt came from him. It was unfortunate but everything he had done up to now was only a means to an end. All he wanted to do was to protect his Margarite, that was his last promise to the love of his life. It mattered not what form the curse would come in as long as he was able to obtain it. The demon lord tossed the small golden box into the air, the lid flipping open. The small red pearl streaked out like a homing arrow to its rightful owner. Red and white energy surrounded the Empress as she regained her long-lost powers. 

“Do you have your daughter’s blood? That is required for the binding.”

Lord Ren looked down at Kei impassively, he had known about her origins but while he pitied her a little, he lived but to execute the Empress’s will. She cried out in defiance but there was scant little that she could do to prevent Lord Ren from forcing her spirit pearl out of her body. Without magic, her pearl was dull and dark, the colour of dried blood with nary a glimmer. It was his blood, her Hikari, that was on her spirit pearl, that single drop that was the catalyst of the curse. A curse that would only end when one of them died, but now they want to change her Light to another, she would not allow it. Kei shook her head in refusal, shouting her denial but no sound emerged from her throat. She continued to struggle, fighting against the magic that held her in place. The demon lord’s hand glowed and a small crystal vial filled with a bright crimson liquid inside appeared. He handed it over to Lord Ren and stepped backwards to see what would happen next.

“Shall we start, My Empress?”

Lord Ren moved to where the Empress was standing, Kei’s spirit pearl was held suspended above his left hand, while his right held the crystal vial. The Empress smile was cold and cruel as she called forth her powers, wisps of red and white energy swirled and enveloped the dark spirit pearl. Kei screamed soundlessly as she felt herself burn for that was what the Empress was doing, using her powers to sear away all traces of her Hiraki’s blood. She writhed in agony even as the darkness in her eyes started to fade as the curse was lifted forcefully. In that instance, all in the room saw the true colour of her eyes – a deep azure that did not belong in the spirit realm. There was no doubt of her lineage and who was her sire. Her very existence was a bane, a stigma that the Empress had tried so hard to remove.

Kei reeled from the sudden emptiness as that most familiar presence was gone. She clenched her hands on her heart, but she could no longer feel her prince. There had always been a special connection between them. She would have never guessed they would be a pair of half-sibling twins born of different fathers. Her spirit pearl was now an ashen grey scoured clean of Shou’s blood. The Empress eyes were frigid as ice as she regarded the half-blood bastard before her. She would like nothing better than to crush that spirit pearl before her and erase that very existence that was like a blight to everything, she held dear. Her power, her sovereignty and her most precious son. It was inconceivable that of all people Shou had given her the lavender jade ornament. That had been meant as a token to be awarded to the most deserving noble lady who might one day become his princess consort. She had been suspicious when after the ceremony all the disappointed ladies have left with peach blossoms until Aoki had told her who had received the jade. This was unforgivable and forbidden, it was an everlasting regret that she did not snap the fragile neck of the cub the first time she had seen those blue eyes. Now there was a perfect opportunity to be rid of her once and for all.

The Empress started to chant; the words were so old that even Lord Ren could not understand them. This was the Kage curse passed on generation to generation of Lantern Night monarch. Prince Shou would also inherit the method to invoke the Kage curse when he takes the throne. Each of the incanted word hung in the air, glowing white like a sigil before being absorbed into Kei’s spirit pearl, making her lurch each time like a dagger stabbing deep into her flesh. A thin rivulet of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth, her teeth had gashed her lip open. She would only watch helplessly as the woman who birthed her, twist open the crystal vial and extracted one drop of the cerise liquid within to drop it on her spirit pearl. The pearl that was her essence absorbed the new blood but this time instead of dull red, her pearl turned fully black. Like a puppet that had its string cut, Kei crumbled onto the floor. 

Her cerulean eyes blacken once more. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was not the one they called the White Deer of Devildom that caught his attention the first time the new drafted servants were introduced to their new mistress. Most would have been blinded by her beauty that their eyes saw nothing else but Barbatos’ interest was instead drawn by the strange figure standing a little behind the lady. The slender figure was dressed all in black but not garbed as what a handmaiden would be but rather like a squire but what stirred Barbatos was the fact the figure was hooded that only some part of the nose and mouth was visible. Barbatos was trained to highly observant, taking notice of everything regardless whether usual or not. From the distance, he could not tell if the figure was male or female, but he guessed given the proximity to Lady Margarite, he or she was a personal retainer perhaps responsible for protecting the lady.

Lady Margarite had just celebrated her thousand creation day, which by right meant that she should be engaged to the King of Devildom. However, the King suddenly had a change of heart. Declaring instead that there would be a competition called the Queen’s Game to choose a most worthy lady. Besides her beauty, talent, and abilities, she would also bring her House’s power to the King. This was another one of his fickle games to pit the various noble houses against each other for his amusement. Besides the daughters from the four Cardinal Houses which had auto eligibility, the selection was also open to all the other noble houses and what better chance there was to stake their family fortunes for the chance that a daughter of their house could become the most reverenced woman beside the King of demons.

The lady would soon have to depart her home for the Royal Court to take part in the selection but not before setting up her entire retinue which was a perfect opportunity for Barbatos to secure a place. More than a hundred years ago, he had departed Taniere and wandered about Devildom to hone his skills as well built up his cover as an accomplished manservant especially skilled in the creation of sweets, pastries, and the pairing of tea. He had travelled extensively to build up an extensive repertoire of recipes and enjoyed no small amount of fame which had attracted the hiring steward’s attention as Lady Margarite apparently enjoyed sweets and pastries.

Today, the lady would make her selection for the servants who would serve her in her kitchens and each servant was to present her with a dish that showcased their talents. Barbatos was more than ready. Soon it was his turn to greet Lady Margarite, he bowed as was customary and presented a selection of his best creations for her tasting. He was surprised when it was that dark garbed squire that stepped in front of him to take over the plate of delicacies. Those long slender hands belonged to either a youth or a female and if Barbatos had blinked, he would have missed that small almost indiscernible action. The squire inserted what appeared to a needle swiftly into the five pieces of pastries he had prepared, cleverly using his body to mask the action before turning to present the dish to her ladyship. Lady Margarite smiled in appreciation and Barbatos could see that she lived up to her reputation. Her skin was indeed a flawless alabaster and matched with her silver hair and sapphire eyes, she did indeed resembled the angels from the Celestial Realm. It was no wonder she had been selected as a Queen candidate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So you are the pastry chef whose creation had taken Devildom by storm? I hadn’t expect that you would be so young but skilled. “

 _Not to mention good looking…_

“My Lady, you flatter me. However, the proof is in the tasting. I hope my creations will please you.” The dark-haired young man before her smiled and bowed again.

She took a piece of the delicate pastry and took a small dainty bite, her manners impeccable. It was only a tasting and by right, she should not finish the entire piece, but it was simply too delicious and Margarite ate it with obvious delight even though some of her ladies-in-waiting made disapproving noises under their breaths. She ignored them and nodded her head to House Tarandus’ chief steward. She eyed the remaining pastries longingly and all but sighed when her personal maid Ose cleared the plate away. Hopefully, Ose would set them aside for her so that she can enjoy them when they were finally done with the selecting the kitchen staff. She could really do with a relaxing cup of tea and perhaps her newly selected pastry chef could recommend something but before she could ask, the chief steward had already waved on the next candidate.

_Never mind, there will be plenty of opportunities soon…_


	7. An Unlikely Friendship

The inner high bailey was deserted as he expected it to be at this time of the night, as opposed to the lower ramparts which were heavily guarded with regular patrols. Cool jade eyes observed the numbers, frequency, and duration of each watch, mentally filing everything for reference. Although, the Tarandrus stronghold was not an object of interest for the time being, Barbatos was too well trained to just be idle even during his rest time. As his teacher had always said, information collected was never useless until you found a use for it. Barbatos sat himself on one of the battlements, enjoying the light breeze that blew over the vast lake. The Tarandrus House forefathers had a lot of insight to build a fortress into the mountain itself making it almost impregnatable using the forces of nature. This was the sort of castle that would only fall if it was betrayed from within. It would be a nightmare trying to take down this place from outside. It was no wonder Vual remained untouched in the South He nibbled a small piece of cheese since he had not yet gotten any dinner. Apparently, the chief steward had yet to find enough competent staff, Barbatos had not only been pushed into service as the pastry chef, filling in for the dinner service at the main table and thanks to that, he had been assigned another interesting role by Lord Vual himself. 

While it was tiring, Barbatos had no complains since he had gained even more exposure before Lady Marguerite without really having to resort to any staged encounters. The lady had been surprised to see him presenting dinner to her, the corner of her mouth had lifted in the slightest of smiles. From the corner of his eyes, Barbatos took in his first sight of the South Cardinal Lord and noted the aura of power that the demo lord wore naturally. Agares had told him the duke was probably the demon lord that the King was most wary of. Tarandrus might not be the biggest House out of the four Dukes, but its military strength was legendary and given the igneous way nature was used to make the Southern Dukedom even more defensible, this would not be an easy House to crush unlike his own. 

As he slowly ate, his thoughts came back to the figure that had stood like a shadow behind the chair of the only House Tarandrus queen candidate. Amongst the brightly garbed nobles, the strange squire from the spirit realm stood out like a sore thumb but that slender figure was not awkward nor conscious of the glances and whispers. While it made sense to have a bodyguard for the lady, Barbatos wondered what was so special that she had to come from that strange mysterious realm that not many even know about. Her name was Kei, that was what Lord Vual had called her, personally bringing her back to Devildom. Yet, it had been Barbatos who had stepped in to serve and after the dinner service had ended, the chief steward had come to look for him and tell him besides his pastry duties, he had also been assigned to her Ladyship’s service and one of his duties include training this squire. 

Though very subtle, he saw the signs of a trained warrior from the callous on her hands and the way she moved. However, he still could not figure out the specific reason for her presence, from what he had observed there was no lack of female demon warriors from the ranks of Tarandrus House retainers that would have sufficed. Barbatos smiled to himself, that would probably be something for him to find out. He was about to reach for his water flask when he detected another presence but he followed through with the gesture to hide the fact he was aware. Even as he lifted the flask to drink, his eyes scanned around him quickly. He did not see anything but he was sure he was no longer alone and his best bet was to stay calm and act normally. He had a small dagger within a hidden sheath strapped to his waist but unless the situation was dire, he would not risk using it and blow his cover. 

“What is a pastry chef doing on the ramparts at this time of the night? Your name is Barbatos, correct?” The voice was low, a little husky but female with a strange lilting accent that he could not place.

“To eat in peace and yes, that is my name.” He replied with a sigh, which was no lie since the scullery maids had been shamelessly flirting with him and trying to get his attention.

A figure detached itself from a shadowed recess and made its way to the moonlight. Barbatos was surprised to see the object of his speculations step out of the darkness to stand before him. It was normal for him to be startled and he did not pretend to hide it. Barbatos just smiled and gestured to the food he had laid out on a clean piece of cloth, an open and seemingly harmless invitation. If she had mean him harm, Barbatos was not confident he had time to react before she moved so he reckoned his best course of action would be not to go on the offensive given that he had no knowledge of her abilities. The black garbled squire leaped up effortlessly on the long parapet where he was seated and sat herself down with a comfortable distance between them. A small bundle was in her arms and she set it down to untie it, revealing a rectangular box and a small flask. She lifted the lid and the box contained some cuts of meat, a couple of soft dinner buns and a small selection of fruits.

Kei gestured with her hand, palm facing out that the food was for sharing before she raised her hands to her cowl before she then paused as if considering something. Barbatos had never seen her features since she always had a cowl or hood shadowing her face no matter where she followed their lady. At Tarandrus, he doubted anyone would have issue with that but if they were at the Royal Court, he was not sure if that would be permitted. Her hands stilled for a moment before she made up her mind and she tossed back the cowl. He had guessed that there was the possibility of some kind of scar or malformities on her face but there was none. Her face was slender and features fine boned and delicate not as deep set as those of Devildom. She was one of the Lantern Night people and they possessed an ethereal fey beauty seldom seen in the realm of demons, but it was her eyes that spooked Barbatos. They were darker than the Devildom eternal night sky where stars still shone, twin pools of pitch-black darkness that seemed to swallowed the light.

“Ah, my apologies, did I frighten you?” She raised a hand hastily to pull down her cowl.

“No, it’s alright. I was just a little startled but it’s fine. You don’t have to hide your face. In Devildom, there are some demons that prefer their true forms so it’s not that uncommon to see eyes similar to yours...” 

“Is it? It is not normal amongst my people… They are the mark of an ancient curse. Perhaps, it is truly destiny that I am here instead…” Kei lowered her cowl but kept her eyes averted, her expression stoic.

Barbatos waited for her to explain further but Kei did not elaborate. He did not know enough of the Lantern Night people of the Spirit Realm to comment and it would be rude of him to press her for his own curiosity’s sake, so he wisely held back. He had his own secrets, so he respected her right to hers as long as their objectives did not crash. They sat in companionable silence for a while before Kei took a deep breath and shook her head, the night wind blew a few strands of her black and silver ombre hair across her face. She reached for a piece of fruit and ate it but paused over her next selection as she was not yet used to the typical Devildom cuisine. Barbatos noticed her hesitation and he assembled a simple meat sandwich from the food items they both had and offered it to her. She nodded her thanks, took a curious sniff before she gingerly bit into it, chewed and then swallowed. Having grown up taking or eating what the kitchen spared her, Kei was not a choosey eater and it was only right that she accustomed herself since she was no longer in her homeland. 

“How is it?” Barbatos asked as he made himself the same and ate it.

“It’s not bad, I suppose… I am not particular about food as long as it fills the stomach.” Kei finished the food and took a sip from her flask.

“I’ve heard that the cuisine of the Spirit Realm is rather exquisite and the methods of cooking rather varied?” 

“Indeed, the culinary arts of the Spirit Realm is a lot more advanced however I have no talents in the kitchen and I also doubt the ingredients will be commonly available here. I guess I truly have to miss eating anman.”

“Anman?”

“It’s a steamed bun filled with sweet red bean paste.” 

“Hmm… I supposed I could make you a Devildom version of that. I am not a pastry chef for nothing.” Barbatos smiled.

He was curious about her, this stranger from a land that he did not know of. Besides his own curiosity, something unknown was a risk not to just himself but also to his mission. Since he had been assigned as her tutor to train her in the ways of Devildom, Barbatos will make full use of this opportunity to find out all he can. It would be more advantageous if he could get along with her and he remembered the advice of one of the many chefs that he had come across in his travels.

_The way to someone’s heart is through the stomach…_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kei took a deep breath to still herself, gathering her consciousness to her body as she moved into the starting stance of one of her many _kata_. Each separate _kata_ was designed to deal with a specific opponent in mind after she observed their strengths and weaknesses. This was one of the first she had choreographed, and she had practised it so many times until her body knew each move by instinct flowing into one posture after another. She launched into spin, dipping low in a move designed to sweep an adversary off their feet before striking out with her swords. _Kiba_ and _Tsume_ were forged by magic binding one of her claws and one of her fangs into them. She could control their length depending on what her combat situation called for. In tight quarters where movement was restricted, she would wield them both like the shorter _wakizashi_ that she can effectively use not only for attack but defence as well. For attacks, her blade length of choice was the _katana_ , the curved blade that was renowned for its cutting power and speed. Given that she was a woman her strength and stamina would be her biggest disadvantage in combat. Kei’s advantage was her speed and agility that allowed her to even take on much bigger and stronger opponents and when she attacked, her strikes were meant to kill or maim.

It was like a dance, a deadly one. Each spin, each whirl looked deceptively graceful and delicate just like the dancer herself but come too close and she would slash any perpetrator to bloody ribbons. Her lessons were learned through pain, each scar that left its mark on her body was a mistake she would never repeat again because it would mean she was not able to protect herself or her Light. Shou was her Light, the reason why she chose not to simply die. Dying would be too easy for a child that no one cared for, but he had bothered. Perhaps, it was due to the special link that they shared because they were twins. She wondered if she would see him again, provided she could stay alive. The _Kage_ curse now bounded her to another, a half-sister that she never knew existed and her sire did not reveal the ties of blood between them. She was just a tool, an existence that was meant to be used, her life was not her own not until the one she substitutes dies naturally. This was a totally different world from the one she had known, and the threats that will come were not going to be the same. Kei was learning from the one called Barbatos who was skilled beyond his years. The ways demons fight was different, and Kei paid attention to the ways the soldiers drilled. Demons would most likely assume their true forms when in battle using their bigger build, natural weapons like their talons, and magic.

She was not afraid of the threats that come direct, it was those in subterfuge that was harder to guard against. Even when back in the Spirit Realm, Prince Shou had been concerned with the tyrant king that ruled in Devildom, the news of his acts of cruelty and debauchery had even spread to the ears of the Lantern Night people. The Empress had considered it inconceivable that the Spirit Realm might be under threat from this Devil King since there was the Moon Barrier in place that keeps her domain separate, but the barrier was not without its weakness. The window between the waxing and the new moon, the barrier would be at its thinness. Weaker entities might not be able to break through, but Kei doubt the barrier would hold against a full-on assault from an army of demons.

This selection process for a Queen was nothing more than a facade for the tyrant to amuse himself while testing the loyalty of each of the demon noble houses. The noble houses would be too preoccupied fighting among themselves so none would ever become strong enough to challenge the King. All eyes were on the Four Cardinal Houses, each with a daughter in the race to produce a Queen except for House Ulv who had no daughter and was represented by a lesser related House. Lady Margarite had been the leading candidate to wed the Demon King but now with the selection, she also stood as the biggest hurdle against anyone who harboured dreams of being a Queen. Kei had already started taking precautions to check for poison or malicious magic. Margarite at first glance appeared as any fragile genteel lady but behind those sparkling sapphire eyes was a strong and inquisitive mind and what surprised Kei most was that the lady was not even the least bit keen to become the Queen of Devildom.

As Kei spun into the last set of movements, her swords slashing into furious dance of strikes and parries. Her lady had retired and before the colossal moon rose to its peak, this time of the night was hers. Barbatos had been right, her cursed black void eyes which had been deemed hideous and repulsive in her homeland earned her nothing more than a cursory look. Demons came in all shapes and sizes, from mammoth beasts used as gate guardians to the smallest little minions that did the drudgery work. She was barely winded as she finished her last stance, crouching down with her swords arced above her head. It was a strange but liberating feeling to not have to hide her face anymore and for the first time in her life, she felt respected as an individual with a sense of pride. This was something she had never received no matter what she did or how many times she had been injured in service to her Prince. Her life was such an irony.

Kei rose to her feet and was stretching her muscles to cool down when she felt a new presence. A ghost of a smile touched her lips as her sensitive ears already told her who it was from the barely perceptible sound of his footfall. Kei nonchalantly continued to stretch until his hand reach forward to where she had been standing just a moment ago. She pivoted on her heel, spinning to one side even as she deflected his hand at the same and came to rest with her fingers tapping lightly against the side of his throat. Her ears were simply too sensitive and her reflexes too fast for him to try sneaking up on her. If he was an assassin, she would have killed him at least five times before he ever got close enough to even lay a hand on her. He laughed, the cheerful sound driving away the slight chill of the night even as he swatted her hand away playfully from his throat. As usual, Barbatos had brought up some food to share and tonight he was going through the court etiquette with her. The rest of his lessons had been pretty straight forward, but Kei struggled most at this subject as the rules and procedures were very different compared to those from her homeland. 

Under Barbatos’ advice and in consultation with their lady, instead of a squire it would be far more useful for her to assume a position as a handmaiden since it meant that she could keep company at her ladyship’s side in most circumstances as oppose to a squire especially when her sex and face was ambiguous. It worked in their favour that no one had seen her face or had become familiar with her yet. They were already in the midst of making preparations to depart for the Royal Court in less than a month’s time and they needed all the advantages they can gain over their opponents. Their lady might not have ambitions to be Queen but as the foremost contender, she would be the first that all her rivals want out of the way. There had already been some clumsy attempts at poison which was easily foiled by Kei and Barbatos. She had given him a set of two silver needles to test for poison in the food and drinks. Silver alone was only effective in detecting arsenic, but her needles had been enchanted before to also react to most common poisons. Of course, if anyone did get pass the two of them, Kei would be the one dying first. She had no doubt any poison used would be instantly fatal if ingested. 

“I made something for you.” Barbatos handed her the basket that he was holding behind his back. 

The scent was strangely familiar yet somewhat different. Tossing back the cloth that covered the basket, Kei was greeted with something she had not expected at all. Barbatos had made her steamed buns, they were so fresh that the steam was still coming off the whitish balls of dough. He had been curious about her homeland, so it had been an exchange of sorts – him teaching her about Devildom and she telling him about the Lantern Night People. She had also told him about the food that she had been missing, her favourite Anman. The simple sweet bun was no delicacy by any means, but it held sentimental value for her. They had such enthusiastic discussions about the cuisine and the cooking styles used by her people. She felt strangely touched that he had tried making them. There was barely anyone who would bother to do something for her in her whole life. The first was her Obasan, the Empress’ retired nanny who had taken care of her when she was a cub. The second had been Shou and now she had two more. 

“What’s inside?” Kei took one bun out, tossing it from hand to hand as it was still hot.

“I used the meat stew leftovers today since I was experimenting to get the texture right first. Red bean is not exactly an easy ingredient to find in Devildom. You’re lucky that I traded recipes with a chef at an inn who used to have Lantern Night trading guests.”

Kei sat down and tore the bun open, steam gushed out together with the heady fragrance of the meat stew. She blew into one half and took a tentative bite, careful to not let the meat juices drip. It was a little different from the meat buns that she had ate before but it did not taste bad. She was in fact a little amazed that Barbatos managed to get the bun texture and taste right on his first try, he was really gifted. The half familiar taste got her appetite up and she ate the other half with relish. Kei was hungry after a whole day of duty and practising her _kata._ Watching her eat, Barbatos grinned at her obvious enjoyment and knew he had gotten it right. Even as she ate, Kei was mindful of what would be coming next. As the date drawn nearer for their departure to the capital, she had also started to teach both her new Hikaru and her friend in the finer points of self-defence.

_Friends…_

_She was not going to lose them so quickly now that she had found them._


	8. Royal Intrigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbatos and Kei has arrived at the Royal Court... what dangers await them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the long delay in updates, I just took on another part-time job and was also working on another OC story of my own. This story is moving very well and I'm so pumped.. it's all coming along!

Dark viscous blood splatted copiously as Kei cleaved another of the winged lizard-like creatures into two. It had been a devious trick embedding a tiny portal in a gift box that teleported a flock of five of these creatures in when it was accidentally opened by one of the unsuspecting maids. They were the size of small dogs, scaled with wings and lots of teeth, claws and obvious bloodlust. The unfortunate maid was torn to pieces before she could even scream. Kei had launched into action, taking two of the creatures down with one leap, her swords easily cleaving through the scaly bodies. One flew straight at her, trying to snap its jaws into her shoulder but she dodged down, slashing it’s belly open with her blade in reverse. The creatures did not seem too intelligent, even as she reduced their numbers down swiftly to two, they showed no sign of retreating. Both darted high up and dived down at her, Kei spin to one side using the momentum to slice one apart before she skewered the other through the throat. Everything was over in mere minutes as she flicked the blood away from her blades. Barbatos entered the room with his sword drawn but one look told him that Kei had slayed all the creatures. They exchanged a glance and nodded to each other, even as Kei hid her blades and quietly left the room.

This was the approach that they had discussed, Barbatos as her ladyship’s chief steward would stay in the open while she remained hidden in the shadows. He would hide her traces and sound the alarm. It had been fortunate that their lady decided to take a bath before retiring for the night instead of looking through the pile of presents that had been send from various nobles trying to curry her favours. They had barely set off from Tarandrus in their journey to the capital when the party had been attacked. The first group was made up of a badly organized band of ruffians and were easily dispatched by the normal house guards escorting the party. However, a second group of trained assassins surprised them one night when they were barely two days distance from the capital. This time they had sustained some casualties. It was obvious that the attacks were send by likely two different fractions who would prefer if Lady Marguerite did not reach the Royal Court alive.

This was the latest attack and it seemed that someone had upped the stakes. However, it was interesting to note that there were ten Queen Candidates in total and all ten noble ladies had arrived at the capital without anyone making a fuss and reporting to the King about being attacked. The candidates of the minor houses were simply included to give the illusion that this would be a fair selection where the best lady will win but in truth everyone knew the real contest would be within the four Cardinal Houses. Even if the six lesser candidates formed an alliance, given their limited resources, it was unlikely they could pull off something like this. There was only one likely suspect that was both capable and would stand to gain the most of a daughter of their House become Queen.

House Jaculus had always been power hungry and like their emblem the Serpent, vicious, vengeful, and vindictive. The Eastern House was also known for their skill in poison and use of offensive magics. The current Duke was a close advisor of the King and he greatly encouraged the acts of depravity. Barbatos was sure Jaculus was also the instigator that engineered the ruin of House Aveum as one of their steps to get closer to the throne even though he had no concrete proof of their involvement. His only hope was that his grandfather was still alive somewhere in the Royal Palace so that he could awaken his latent powers as the last time seer. Getting into the palace was only the first step and now his real mission would start. This will his real challenge to balance between his official duties as well as to infiltrate into the deepest recesses of the oldest castle in Devildom without having his secret identity exposed.

He had considered the possibility of the Colosseum given that there was a labyrinth underneath the amphitheatre used for caging the beasts and magical creatures and those unfortunate enough to be sentenced to gladiator fights but when he first arrived at the palace, there was a strange but unerring feel in his guts that his grandfather would be found near the King that he was once bound to serve. The Royal Palace was actually not one, but three palatial structures linked together as the Court grew over the centuries and two other previous Kings had added on the extensions. The Central Palace was the oldest and it was first built as a fortress which was evident from the defensive edifices that still remained. The Eastern and Western Palace were built centuries later, and their structure was more decorative than defensive. Based on all the intelligence he could collected so far, there was only one dungeon or catacomb that was built as part of the old Central Palace however finding the entrance would be the first hurdle followed by another more personal impediment that he would need to overcome.

No one would have guessed the usually calm and unruffled butler and pastry chef had a secret fear. This fear had a name and he had looked it up and researched it when he had access to Lord Bael’s personal library when he was in Ulv as part of his education. Musophobia, a fear of mice and rats. He had thought he had gotten over it after Lord Bael had took him away from the pleasure slums but the first time he had went into the underground cellars to fetch some Demonus, he had broken out in cold sweat when he heard those high pitched squeaks and scurrying sounds that signalled the presence of rodents. It had been a punishment that was used on him when he was a child, they had locked him into a tiny room so dark that he could not even see his fingers in front of his face and he could hear them, the scratching, gnawing and rustling as well as the squeaks, hisses and chattering sounds the rats made. His skin crawled with revulsion when he felt the small bodies with rough coarse fur brushed pass his body.

_Just wait until the rats get hungry enough to eat you…._

_They will gnaw through your tender flesh and bone until nothing is left…_

Barbatos knew with certainty that he would encounter these infernal creatures in his mission to find his grandfather. He pondered this dilemma as he pushed one innocuous decorative tile from the wall in until a secret catch locked it in place, the alarm would activate and the nearest palace guards dispatched to investigate but he knew it would take a while before any one would arrive at the scene. This was also a reason why each Queen Candidate was allowed to bring in her own entourage of servants and guards as the palace guards were not deployed to patrol or actively guard the guests staying in the Eastern Palace. If not for Kei and himself plus the House guards, their lady would likely had died countless times. In another two days was another event that the King would host for the Queen Candidates, a hunting competition. This would likely be their biggest trial to date in ensuring their lady’s safety. Anything could happen on a hunt with stray arrows, traps, sabotage and not to mention the possibility of released magical creatures of the same ink as those Kei had just slew a moment ago. It was almost like an eternity before the palace guards made their appearance in the wing that they were residing in. 

Their nonchalant attitude already told Barbatos that the King was not going to be distraught over his potential queens dying before the actual Selection was made. Perhaps it would even amuse him more if none of the ladies survived long enough to even make it to the Selection. Over the course of a month, the King would host a few events to let his Queen Candidates showcase themselves, their beauty, talents, and abilities. The first was the Welcome Feast where the ten ladies officially met the King for the first time. They each gave a brief introduction of themselves before they were seated to dine at a long table with five ladies on each side while the King sat alone on a dais and ate separately. Every lady would also have a chance to have a private meal with the King and perhaps for some ladies more than once if they happen to catch his interest. The Hunt was the next big event lasting over three days, where the ladies would be evaluated on their ability to hunt down not only the greatest number of prey but also the rarity of the prey. However, Barbatos had noticed the rules did not strictly prohibit the use of magic even though each lady was to hunt using a standard bow and quiver of arrows together with a set of leather armour issued by the King to ensure fairness. 

The next major event after the Hunt would be The Judgement where the ladies would be given a total of three different scenarios to deliberate over and they were to write down their verdict and justification. The prize, that a lady could win at each event, was a golden enchanted rose and in total there were five such roses the King can bestow. The final even was the Selection Ball where the King would dance with the favoured candidates before giving the final golden rose to his chosen Queen. If a lady can successfully win a rose at every event, ending her tally at three, her position as Queen would be clinched and those who at least won a single rose would have the opportunity to be a royal concubine. Lady Margarite had been purposely elusive in her reply when he had asked her if she would openly vie for the prize. She had been very subtle but Barbatos was trained from young to be observant and he had caught her eyes looking away from the King to search for another face among the rest of the other nobles. He had an inkling just who it was that her eyes were seeking but he just needed to see it one more time to confirm his suspicion.

The guards listened to his account and did not bother to ask any questions. They did nothing more than give a brief cursory check on the bloody chunks he had further hacked to disguise the clean almost precise cuts made by Kei’s swords. It was not long before a small army of minor servant demons were summoned to clean up the mess and Barbatos knew it would take nary an hour before all traces of an attack was erased from that very room and tomorrow another new serving maid would come and take the place of the one that had perished. Such was the lot of lesser demons whose lives were regarded as nothing more than dirt. This was the world of Devildom where power and wealth were controlled in the hands of the Noble Houses of higher demons who care nothing for lower classes. Barbatos was the strange product of both worlds, born of a noble house, the lineage of a King yet he had spent the first three hundred years of his life among the lowest of the low, the child of pleasure slave. This was a world that he wished to change and claiming his legacy would be the first step.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That is Lord Bael of Ulv, isn’t it?” Kei whispered as she deliberately slowed her hell steed to fall behind with Barbatos.

“Yes, indeed. You’ve noticed as well?” The butler gave an amused smile.

_So, I was right indeed…_

_The lady had her eyes set on my Lord…_

“Our lady hides it well however, given the current situation, I do not think it is wise. Even if she can avoid being made Queen, I think the King will look to keep her as a consort.”

Her conjecture was not without reason, this was no game of love, but a strictly political gambit designed to lure out the hidden ambitions of each House. As much as he needed their support and strengths in their respective areas, the King was also wary of any machination designed to remove him from the throne and he would keep this game of intrigue going on to keep the demon nobles busy fending each other off to bother him. As they rode towards the royal hunting grounds, Barbatos was already on high alert. Each Queen Candidate could only take two retainers with her as she entered into designated area of the vast forest to hunt. The more dangerous and deeper reaches of the woods were ringed off by magic for safety but Barbatos was not putting any faith in that. This was the perfect opportunity to dispose of a rival and make it look like a pure accident. Kei and himself would accompany their lady in the hunt, Barbatos was confident that they would be more than capable to take care of any physical forms of attack but what concerned him was more magical in nature. Kei was one of the finest fighters he knew, and her speed and agility was her main asset in dealing with magic users, however the forest would give plenty of cover to their assailants. Barbatos was competent with a blade and knew some magic but he was not yet Awaken thus had not come into his full powers.

“My Lady, the first group has entered the woods and we will be next. It’s time to get ready.”

Kei entered their designated rest tent identified by the rearing white stag emblem of House Tarandrus. Each Queen Candidate was assigned a specific tent and a small contingent of guards were stationed between every two tents. It would be tantamount to suicide for any party to dare try anything here right under the King’s eye when there were plenty of less risky opportunities just right ahead. The fox spirit demon helped her ladyship to slip on and buckle the light leather armour over the more feminine cut hunting attire of shirt and breeches with leather riding boots. Her lady had wisely chosen to wear black and her bright hair was braided and coiled firmly around her head so that she could wear a cap over it. Besides the armour, Kei’s clothes were almost identical, and it would be hard to tell from distance just who was the mistress. Barbatos was outside with their hell steeds, keeping a close eye so that no one could tamper with their equipment. She had already tested the bow and inspected the arrows to make sure they would function as they should.

“Kei, is there something you want to tell me?” Lady Margarite regarded her bodyguard astutely and whispered.

“Yes… and Barbatos should hear it too.” Kei clipped the quiver to her lady’s belt and grasping the bow in hand as she pulled back the flap of the tent to let Lady Margarite exit.

“Lady Margarite of House Tarandrus will now enter the competition grounds. May the luck of the Hunt be with you!” One of the King’s steward bellowed the announcement as the three of them mounted up and rode towards the shimmering archway that would teleport them into a random start point.


	9. The Hunter And The Hunted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbatos, Kei and Lady Marguerite enters the hunting grounds - what hidden dangers await them?

**_Chapter Nine: The Hunter and The Hunted_ **

The three of them exchanged a glance and at their Lady’s nod, Barbatos rode ahead first, followed by their lady while Kei brought up the rear. They had been given a map previously and there were five different landing points across the vast hunting grounds that a Queen Candidate could enter. Each landing point was also a rest station where a party could replenish supplies, heal minor injuries as well as contact the main hunting party in case of any emergency. Each Queen Candidate also had a token with the King’s mark that could be invoked if they were in danger, provided there was enough time to invoke it. The token was also a tracking device where the King’s party could see where each lady was located on a magical map of the grounds. Each Queen Candidate and her party was free to explore and hunt across the entire section of the forest ringfenced for their competition. A horn would sound before the end of the day and each party was to head to their nearest rest station for extraction back to main party.

Their entry point was supposed to be random however, a resourceful adversary could prepare an ambush at every point in advance and they were not discounting that they could be riding straight into an attack. The second they crossed the teleportation palisade; Kei’s swords were already in her hands. Both of them rode defensively, keeping their lady between them as they surveyed their surroundings and take stock of where they had landed. Their point was the one located in the far eastern side and two hours will pass before another Queen Candidate might be send to the same site. Only the main party with the King would be privy to the location of each Queen Candidate but the ladies themselves will not know until they happened to cross paths. Kei signalled for them to band closer even as they left the protective barrier of the rest station. It had been something she had been putting off with some reluctant but her duty to her Hikari was paramount.

“I will go ahead to scout and also disable any traps. Don’t be alarm or shot if you see a black fox for that would be me.” 

“Fox?” Barbatos raised a brow in question.

“The Lantern Night People are animal spirits. I am a _kitsune,_ a fox spirit. It is one of my true forms and not one that I would generally show but in this situation, it would be more effective and allow me to check for danger much further ahead. We will talk more about this later.”

There was like a barely visible shimmer around her form before she was gone and a black fox with silver tipped fur was in front of them looking up with Kei’s full black eyes. It gave a nod before it bounded away vanishing from sight. It was a short while before Kei returned, giving a soft sharp raspy bark to warn of her presence. Unable to speak in the conventional sense while in fox, Kei reverted to her usual form and spread out the map they had. She had scouted, moving in a circular expanding course, and noting the landmarks even as she left her own scent as a marker. She indicated the area that she has cleared, they would be relative safe for now to hunt as they moved. She would range further to flush out prey as well as plot their course to the next rest station in time for the day’s end.

“Wait, one more thing. I can only communicate using _Mindspeak_ while in my fox form. It will be affected by the distance between us, but I will stay in range as much as I can. However, it would feel a little intrusive, pardon me.” 

Barbatos felt the slight pressure that seemed to probe at his mind, he suppressed the urge to resist and as he relaxed, he heard her voice in his mind. It was an odd sensation, initially intrusive but as they connected, there was trust and with that a strange sense of intimacy. It was a lot easier with her Hikari since they already had an existing bond. They moved in this format, their lady taking down a few token creatures. The aim was not to win, but also not to discredit her House. Margarite easily shot down the smaller game that Kei flushed out for her.

 _Kei: Wait! Careful, I sense magic up ahead._

Kei couched in the shadows provided by the undergrowth, her fur standing as the magical energy crackled, displacing the very air in the clearing up ahead. Someone had opened a rift and was sending something through. Something big and obviously dangerous –a gigantic serpent with bright vivid green scales and huge yellow slitted eyes which protruded from the sides of head, slithered through the sudden fissure. It was not a creature known to her and Kei send the mental image over and Barbatos cursed under his breath. Someone must really want them dead so badly to send a basilisk. A magical creature so dangerous even to demons with its triple ability to kill from an instant death gaze, petrification, and deadly venom.

 _Barbatos: Kei! Don’t look into its eyes direct or indirectly!_

One obvious advantage with _MindSpeak_ was that thoughts were conveyed faster that speech and Kei caught on instantly all information that Barbatos could past her. Basilisk were not commonly found so far in the North as it preferred warmer climates near volcanos and firepits. The cooler northern climate made the huge serpent lethargic and it moved a lot more sluggishly. The gigantic head swayed from side to side, then lowered closer to the ground and the forked tongue flickered in and out, scenting the air as if seeking something. Kei might not have seen a basilisk before, but there was no mistaking the hunting behaviour of a snake and it did not take much to deduce it was highly likely hunting for them – the only Queen Candidate hunting party in the area. They had to make a choice and make it fast.

_Kei: Do we run, or do we fight?_

_Barbatos: I do not think it is wise to leave such a creature on our tail._

_Marguerite: We have to take it down, not just for us but for the others too._

_Barbatos: Understood, Milady. Kei, could you provide us cover to get a clear shot, we’ll need to take out its eyes first._

Kei’s eyes scanned the surroundings, she would have to lead the serpent into a clear area for them to blind it and it was best that they stay mounted in case they had to outrun the creature. She relayed the images where they can set up an ambush, circling around upwind of the serpent so that they can get into positions, but she would likely need something with her lady’s scent to draw the serpent to follow her. She bounded over to where her mistress was, and Marguerite swiftly removed her scarf, dismounting to tie it around the black fox’s neck, taking care to make sure there were no trailing ends that could trip Kei. She had to get close enough to the basilisk to pick up the scent and she knew she cannot afford to be careless once the serpent starts to move on the hunt. She would not be able to engage in human form not until the threat of the basilisk’s eyes can be resolved. Barbatos and Marguerite ready their bows, they would have to ensure their arrows hit their mark as there would likely not be a second chance. Basilisks’ scales were notoriously hard and impervious to attacks by normal weapons, only Kei stood the best chance against the beast with her swords, but she could only attack after the giant snake was blind.

_Kei: Ready?_

_Barbatos: I am in position._

_Marguerite: Yes, Kei stay safe!_

The black fox ran seemingly straight towards the basilisk, veering off and up a tree in the last min, before the tender lithe shape leap off almost right in front of the serpent’s snout. As expected, once the monstrous snake caught the scent of its intended prey, the huge yellow eyes flared open with deadly concentration as it coiled and gathered itself to lunge forward. Kei had not imagined a creative of this immense size would be so swift, she reminded herself not to look back and continue to run zipping from side to side. The clearing was just up ahead, she just had to put in another burst of speed to maintain the lead between the snake and herself so that she had more room to manoeuvre in case one of them happened to miss the shot. It was only a split second, she almost heard the hum of the bowstrings as the arrows streaked overhead true to their mark, piercing the huge yellow orbs. Dark viscous blood splattered liberally as the serpent recoiled in pain and trashed about the clearing, smashing into tree trunks with enough force to send pieces of bark flying like barbs.

One shard hit Barbatos’ mount, the jagged piece piercing deep into the flank and the hell steed neighed in pain and fear, rearing up in reaction. The demon butler fought to regain control of his panicking mount, pulling the reins to one side in an attempt to get the steed to turn to the side instead of losing balance and crashing backwards. Unfortunately, it did not work and Barbatos only had mere seconds to leap off, before the horse tipped backwards, landing heavily on its back. He barely avoided being crushed beneath the injured hell steed, breaking into a roll to break the impact of the fall as he hit the ground. The basilisk was blinded but its other senses were still keen, it picked up the vibrations from the impact of the hell steed’s crash. The serpent reared its bleeding head up, venomous fangs bared as it coiled backwards to lunge unerringly at the doomed horse. The poisonous fangs buried deep as the enormous jaws snapped close over the barrel of the hell steed, even without the fatal poison, the force of those jaws was powerful enough to snap the spine and rip right through the belly, killing the unfortunate mount immediately before it had any chance of even getting back on its feet.

_Kei: Milady! I will draw the serpent away. Please check on Barbatos!_

She was not naïve enough to believe that the snake would start to eat the dead horse, this was not a normal hungry predator looking for a meal. It knew Marguerite’s scent, which was why she was able to draw it. From where she was, she could not see Barbatos but he could not have fallen far from his mount. She would need to draw the snake’s attention back to her. The slim black fox ran towards the frightful serpent, the coppery smell of blood permeated the air as she got closer. The baneful creature tossed the broken carcass to one side, blood and venom dripping down its maw, it hissed the forked tongue flicking as it tried to capture the scent again. Kei closed in swiftly, running in a wide arc to narrow the distance as she moved downwind of the basilisk. The serpent swayed its massive head subtly as it filtered through the different scents, before it suddenly froze for the barest of moment – it had caught the elusive scent. This time, Kei ran straight through the trees, using them as a cover to slow the serpent down as it smashed straight into thick trunks. She could not attack it when she was in her fox form, she needed enough distance to shift her shape before she could use the trees as vantage to launch her own attack. Marguerite would not of much help with her bow as the arrows could not punch through the basilisk’s tough scales and having her Hikari near only increased the risk.

Kei would have to do this on her own.

She streaked through a dense thicket, using the momentum to leap up the branches as she sought height. She only had two options which might take down the basilisk, she must either stab it through one of its blind eyes or through the roof of the serpent’s mouth in order to pierce through to the brain to kill it. It was less risky to go for the eye but she could only take whatever opportunity was open to her. The black fox jumped nimbly from branch to branch as she raced up to a height above the serpent’s eye level. The instant she shifted her form, her sword formed into her hands as a _nagamaki_ – a long sword with a blade close to two feet. It was longer than her usual fighting _katana,_ but Kei reckoned that she would need the heft and length to be able to pierce deep enough. Building enough momentum, she crouched down before leaping into the air in a reverse somersault. She only had that one instant to note the serpent’s position before gravity pulled her downwards. Kei gripped her blade as close to her body as possible as she plunged straight down towards the massive head of the basilisk.

The thick massive branches of the oak trees slowed the snake’s progress and forced it to keep its jaws closed as the splintered branches stabbed into its mouth when it rammed against the trees in pursuit. If this were back in her homeland, the serpent would have easily snapped through the trees like twigs and swallowed her whole. Kei landed almost right on its snout, barely slowing the creature down even upon impact. She used the reverse momentum to leap to the side, swinging the _nagamaki_ with all her might to ram the long blade right through the right eye socket, burying the sword all the way up to the hilt. She tried to cling on as the basilisk flailed its head in a frenzy, entering its death throes. Kei was sent flying, slamming hard into the trees, she could hear the crunch of bone and the metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth as she spat out blood. A small self-deprecating smile twisted her lips, at least the basilisk sent her far enough that she did not have to worry about being crushed to death by it, provided her current injuries were no less fatal. She tried to _Mindspeak_ but pain intruded, making it hard to focus her thoughts into something coherent. Kei sighed as she wondered how many more times, she would have to go through something like this. Just like before, she knew the pain would fade, her body would heal but the old scars would stay, and the new scars would continue to appear. She struggled to stay conscious, but overcome by her injuries, she could no longer hold on, letting the familiar darkness claimed her into oblivion.


End file.
